And Sobriety

- From Fun to Numb  I’m C.  I’m from Northern Ireland , where “just one pint” is both a suggestion and a blatant lie.  I don’t count my sober days, not because they don’t matter, but because I’d rather not turn my life into a scoreboard.  I’ve had enough of measuring things the wrong way. These days, I’m more interested in how I feel when I wake up, what I remember from the night before, and whether I can look people in the eye without doing mental gymnastics or visiting the scene of the crime for an update!  This isn’t a story about perfection or preaching, it’s just me, trying to live a life that doesn’t need escaped from, one ordinary, sometimes messy, but fully remembered day at a time. I didn't start drinking aiming to become and addict , but I slowly got there. It started normal, pints after work, laughs that went on too long, the easy kind of belonging and safety you don’t question.  Alcohol was social, harmless, part of the routine. If anything, it ...