What’s Changed?

The smell of home cooking, the sound of young innocent voices. The sound of mom and dad talking about old memories and the warm feeling of love and hopefulness in the air. These are just a few familiar things that no matter what has happened, they bring a feeling of comfort. Despite these familiar things, there is still something unfamiliar.

As the day passes, you try to pinpoint what this unfamiliar thing is. You start looking around asking what has changed. At first glance, everything looks the same. Same faces, voices, food and the same feeling of love. Still, something is unfamiliar. You catch yourself constantly trying to find out what is so unfamiliar. You start talking to loved ones. You start digging without making it so obvious that you are looking for certain answers.

You remember it wasn’t so long ago you had to be rushed to the Emergency Room because you overdosed in your family's living room as they watched. The same family that has been putting up with your mess for over 17 years. The lying, cheating, empty promises, heart breaks from an unrecognizable family member who worried only about himself, even over his own son.

All of a sudden, you find the answer to the million dollar question, “What is so unfamiliar?” The answer was there the whole time. The answer is me. I have changed everything about me. I am sober.

I found the solution to misery and faced my biggest obstacles in life. I did all of this without any substances to help me through. That is the only way I could find these answers. With no help from drugs or alcohol. By doing this, I found happiness and hope. Things I had been searching for so long to find and the answers were lying within myself. I just had to face the obstacles.

I took full responsibility for everything I have done in life. I am now a great dad, son, brother, uncle, grandson and most of all, I am the real me.