Second Drink*

People who are sober speak about the “first drink” as the one to avoid.  So why do so many sober people go out and drink again?  As someone said, “The first drink is not caused by alcoholism.  That is the second drink.  The first drink is caused by sobriety.”  Say what?  Sobriety is so bad or miserable that the person has to drink.  This tells me that sobriety has to have some solid footing in the recovery program with a spiritual and communal dimension.  Otherwise, we are simply “dry.”  When simply dry, you cannot live without your medication, alcohol or drug.  The steps of AA are to treat the disease.  Otherwise, we cannot adjust to reality.  I am working on a sober response to the world areound me.  I will be helpful, and prayerful.  How about you?