Best of the worst

My best day as a drunk was elated misery at most.

I want not

I want not more than to live my remaining days a sober man.

Happy

Happy is he who loses his desire to drink.

A long reach

The long and destructive arm of alcoholism to often reaches the innocent.

After the bottle

Live, love, let go and laugh.

It's within us

Within myself I found the person who was able to live without a drink.

Happy Easter!!

From me to you!

Thankful

Nothing beats spending a special day with friends and family. Thank you sobriety!!

Freak out

I became a freak when I drank. All I could think about was my next drink while I was only half finished with the drink in front of me.

I shall not

The Lord is my Savior, I shall not want.

The miracle

The miracle of sobriety is the gift of life returning.

Grateful

Incredible things are happening in my life that would have been impossible if I was still drinking.

A.A

I did the A.A thing for about four years. Eventually it was time to get back into main stream society. A.A in my opinion is there to help build coping skills. Sooner or later we all need to go solo.

Talk to me

How can I help?
jay@jaykolo.com

People

People who need people generally stay sober.

Always aware

I like knowing where I've been and where I'm headed. Way back when that wasn't always the case.

Doing what feels right

Serving God today instead of myself.

Dirt

As long as your on this side of dirt sobriety is possible.

Satisfied

After a horrible bottom and 21 years of drunken misery sobriety is all I ever wanted. Anything from this day forth is a bonus.

Recovery

When drunkenness and sobriety collide it is called recovery.

Self destruction

No drink so small that it cannot cause self destruction.

Wrecked

I turned around and saw the wreckage of my past. I was ashamed that I had allowed alcohol to do this.

Recycle

Bottles & cans no more.

Strength

Strength comes from desperation. And most of us finally find it at the bottom of our last bottle.

The way I see it

None so blind as those who will not sober up.

Who knew

Who knew that my last drink would lead to 17 years of sobriety.
God knew that's who!

Think a little

Think a little, drink a lot. Story of my life.

Blessing

Today was a very ordinary day. Today was a blessing.

People

People who need people, are usually sober.
I could never have done it alone.

Take a knee

When you just can't STAND it anymore, get on your knees and talk to God.

More

More was never enough.

Which drink?

For me the first drink was the accomplice and the second drink was the killer.

Social skills

One of the toughest parts of sobriety was socializing. I just didn't know how to mingle without a drink in my hand.
It definitely takes time.

Will power

Will power is no match for alcohols fury.

Will power

Will power or lack of it was a big reason I hit rock bottom so hard.

Seldom

The seldom visited side is the side of alcoholism where few live. That side is better known as sobriety!

Relapse

Relapse is not part of recovery. It is just another word for getting drunk.

A little humor

One if my drinking habits was, that I seldom bought rounds.

Drunkenness

Drunkenness was my favorite hiding spot for many years.

52

I turned 52 the other day. I have taken a few days to myself to reflect. 52 was an age that was not even conceivable back when I was under the influence of alcohol. Back them all I did was get drunk and try to find the courage to end my life.

Beyond my grasp

I didn't just reach for the bottle because I was bored. I stretched beyond my grasp because I was hurt, scared and clueless.

Beware

Somewhere between sanity and tomorrow lurks that first drink.

Today

Recovery starts today. Tomorrow is nothing more than a big drunk followed by days of remorse.

Ingredients

The main ingredients for a successful, long term sobriety are hope, willingness, prayer, honesty and connecting with those who care and understand your situation.

A plan

God's plan does not include constant drunkenness. It is all about love. A love of ourselves as well as those around us.
When I drank I left no room for that love.

Feeling low

I used to feel terrible about myself, and alcohol reinforced that thought.

A natural reflex

I automatically drank before and during social situations. It was the only way I knew how to cope.

The great escape

From chaos comes death unless we escape alcohol's influence.

One life

I have but one life to live, and I no longer choose to live it drunk.

Triple threat

Three methods of coping that have kept me sober are spiritual, medicinal and therapeutical.
I know I cannot do it alone.

Personality

The booze I chugged became my personality. Any other type of personal or emotional growth stopped and yielded to the bottle.

A willingness

A willingness to change, hurt, heal and sustain is needed to stay far from the bottle.

Who I was

Paranoia, aggression and inadequacy were a part of me every time I became drunk.

Habitual

I am a habitual offender. I drink by day and by night in an attempt to flee from myself and those who have harmed me.

Darkness

The darkest day in my life was created by extreme drunkenness.

Possibilities

The possibilities are endless when I'm sober.

Turmoil

Emotional turmoil leads to relapse. Keep the drama to a minimum if you want sobriety.

My best friend

It took me ten years to realize that alcohol was not my best friend. It took me another ten years to end our relationship.

Abused

I abused myself every time I abused alcohol. I abused my time, talent, finances, health and future every time I touched the bottle.

Forget it

I forgot what the overwhelming desire to drink feels like. That is something best left forgotten.

Recovery is...

Recovery is a collective effort of mind, body and spirit, which along with others helps us to relocate our soul, heart and greater source.

Sobriety is...

Ridding yourself of that which harms, overwhelms and dominates you.

Night & day

The night belonged to booze and the day was dominated by remorse.

Out of order

There was so much wrong with me that was never going to get fixed as long as drunkenness was running the show.

Honesty

Be honest with yourself in your most private moments and look at what alcohol is doing to you.
Then take your findings to God.

Everything

Drinking wasn't the only thing, it was everything. My only friends were bar friends, I drank when I was happy, I drank when I was sad. Holidays, summer, winter, fall and spring. Drinking was all they mattered, all of the time.

I get by

I get by with a little help from my friends. I tried to go it alone and found that I was no match for alcohol's fury.
In the beginning sober people are your best friend.

Welcome

Welcome to March! Depending on where you live, winters wrath is quickly coming to an end.

Tired

The sober life often wears me down. In a good way of course.