Why get sober is a question I used to ask myself for years. I mean I thought I was living a great life, always drinking or shoving a needle in my arm. Not working, always stealing or slinging dope so that I could live in an altered state of consciousness.
In my opinion those who questioned my lifestyle just didn't know how to party and have a good time. People might suggest that I get a goal in life and I would say that I had a goal: to get as high as I could for as long as I could, And in a sense, that's what happened,
I'd be in and out of jail on a regular basis. Once I spent a year in a mental hospital in a therapy program. When I did the math I figure that I'd been in custody for about 16 years - all because of my addictions.
But there came a time in 1991 when I had a moment of clarity. I'd lost everything for the umpteenth tune and didn't know where I was going to get my next fix or drink. I was living in a stolen car, had zero money, and was probably going to have to steal a nasty hot dog from Circle k if I wanted dinner that night.
While I sat in that stolen Mustang contemplating the state of my life I made a decision that forever changed my life. I realized that I was either going back to jail, die of an overdose, return to a mental hospital - or get sober. When the get sober option popped up it was like a jolt of electricity coursed through me. And that's because it's an option that I'd never seriously considered ,
After mulling that over for a while it seemed like a good idea. No more stealing. No more looking over my shoulder for someone about to arrest me. No living in a state of anxiety or fear because I never knew what was about to happen.
That was in 1991, over 30 years ago. Once I made that decision to get sober everything changed. I went to a detox for 11 days, then spent a year in a halfway house. When I left there I started my own recovery business.
Today, as I write this, I'm sitting on the penthouse balcony of a resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, overlooking a marina filled with sailboats and yachts. I have a wonderful life back in Arizona, operating a business that helps other addicts and alcoholics get their lives together. My mission in life today is to continue to help others change their lives if they're so motivated.
And, believe me, helping others is a good reason to get sober.
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