Our Stories
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Our Stories
Tom McHale
Harbor Springs, MI
The memory of my last drink is still a vivid one. I was attending a class reunion when I noticed some old friends gathered at a tent party nearby. I walked over to say hi and was handed a glass of beer before I could say no. Standing at the tent’s entrance I saw several members of my old girlfriend’s family seated among the crowd, and as I lifted my eyes to the dance floor, she was there dancing with her new fiancé. I raised the glass of beer to my lips, and I let it flow. It was like a knee-jerk reaction, but I wanted to escape the moment. In mid-stream I quickly lowered the glass—I knew too much! I have the disease of alcoholism, and getting drunk isn’t going to solve anything.
On September 18, 1988, I ended a 22-year drinking history that had started when I was 12. Putting down the bottle was a whole lot easier than adjusting to all the changes that came with that decision. In my neighborhood drinking was a part of who we were. Drinking was the matrix that bound our lives together. Every major and minor event was intrinsically linked to alcohol. Giving up the booze meant giving up my identity. It meant letting go of friends, changing the places I went, withstanding the jeers, and developing a new lifestyle I knew nothing about.
Those early struggles paved the way to a rewarding and satisfying life. Through education and support I was able to construct a lifestyle that produced tangible results. I have a great wife, a career I enjoy, and I am involved in my community.
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