Brothers and Sisters and Sobriety

I finished the first season of Brothers and Sisters last night. One of the bonus features pointed out something that was swimming through my mind as I watched the episodes: the Walkers are almost always drinking! Beer. Wine. Harder stuff.

Except for Justin, who's in recovery. One of my favorite scenes is when the Walkers learn about their late dad's "illegitimate" daughter, Rebecca. (In the second season, she turns out not to be his daughter, but I'm not supposed to know that right now.) Justin goes out to meet somebody, and we think he's about to resume his drug habit. A rough-looking guy comes up to Justin and tells him that it's been a long time, then the show cuts to a commercial. When we come back, we learn that the rough-looking guy is not a drug dealer at all, but Justin's sponsor!

The sponsor gives Justin something new to think about. Most of the family was upset to learn about their new half-sister, but the sponsor asked Justin about Rebecca's feelings, since all of this had to be hard on her too. And so Justin became the first Walker to reach out to Rebecca and welcome her into the family.

At times, as I watch Brothers and Sisters and other shows, I get the impression that drinking is a must for someone who wants to fit in and socialize. That's why I think it's important for me to go to AA meetings: to be reminded that there are others like me who are on a path of sobriety. But, overall, I enjoy socializing more now that I don't drink, maybe because I'm alert enough to talk and to joke. I'm not trying to bury my insecurity in alcohol. And I feel a lot better now than I did when I was drinking.

I still have plenty of low-times, but I'm learning constructive ways to deal with them, and I'm also gleaning new ways of looking at situations.

Lately, I've felt pretty good because my "give a shit" cord has been severed, to quote to book on Asperger's and alcoholism. Why should I always dwell on the fact that certain people don't like me, or that so-and-so said this, or that I'm deficient in such-and-such an area? Why should I continually rant against life and against God? At some seasons of my life, I just want to let things be.