like Tom a lot's blog: "Bee.s make golden honey for dream catchers"

To a new friend with a life of their own choosing.

   I actually have several friends who are alcoholic’s but haven't had a drink in many years. I've talked about it with them from time to time and they each said that no one could stop them from drinking. The only way for them to stop was when "they" reached a point in their lives when they decided to do that. It made me think about when I stopped smoking.

    I smoked for many years and had people constantly nagging me to stop. I tried to stop many times without success. One day I decided on my own to finally stop and did it. Until I set my own mind to do it no one could get me to.

   I do drink, and probably more than I should, but that’s just me. I started at a very young age (about 13) and it just changed from one type of drink to another over the years. I have been a wine drinker (not MD or Thunderbird types) from having easy access to European wines while I lived in Germany for almost five years. Started switching over to beer while I was there and believe me when I say that European beers have a lot more alcohol in them. When we got back stateside I could drink a case or more of the weak American beer and still not be drunk. That changed as time went by.

   For the past several years I have changed to drinking hard stuff straight. No mix, no ice, no nothing. I have progressed to only drinking a much better quality. My favorite is a good Bourbon or good whiskey. But I have also taken a liking to Tequila and Rum among others, all straight.

    The reason I have gone into such depth with you about my drinking is that I know that at some point in your life you will decide to stop. It will have to be your choice and no one can make you stop or talk you into stopping. I don’t judge people or hold them to my standards. If the way a person chooses to live is not agreeable with me to the point that I can’t stay around them I simply say good bye and move along.

    I hold myself equal to all others until such time as they show me that they are different. I don’t judge people and I don’t want people to judge me. I have my life and my ways and always do my best to allow others the same right.