And while my Dad didn't think that I would ever have to apply all his wisdom stowed upon me when it came to my alcoholism...it came in quite handy. Every minute spent with my Dad is a learning experience. He has so much wisdom and knowledge. I know that no matter what it is, I can go to my dad with anything...and while sometimes I don't like what he has to say. I can't honestly say (Oh, I am going to regret this). My dad is always right.

And there I went...sitting in the back seat of my parent's Tahoe, waving my white flag out the window all the way to Pilot Mountain. I felt like I was ten again and they were dropping me off at summer camp. Toiletries, check! Stationary and stamps, check! Spending money for the soda machine, check! But I wasn't ten. I was thirty-two. And it wasn't summer camp. It was rehab.

My drinking was no secret. So, I didn't see any reason to keep my recovery a secret. It was no secret that I had a problem with alcohol. Everybody knew I drank a lot. My friends from college have drunk Allison stories.  My friends from when I lived in Boston have drunk Allison stories. My friends in San Francisco most definitely have drunk Allison stories. Complete strangers have drunk girl at the bar stories, I am sure. My family has a lot of “Allison’s drinking’ memories. And the list goes on…

We need to stop tiptoeing around the issue with our friends and family. I hear people say that you have to let addicts/alcoholics hit bottom on their own before they will get help. Well, that's bullshit. For many people, death comes before rock bottom. So, then what? You didn't confront someone because you didn't want to hurt their feelings or embarrass them? You thought they might be angry with you? Well, they may be. They may also choose to get help. If nothing else, they know they aren't fooling anyone anymore.

What I never really realized until then, was that even though it wasn't her pain, she still took it on as her own. Every ear ache, upset stomach, flu, cut, scrape, broken bone...every ache and pain we ever have...she experiences right along with us. Every fear, anxiety, worry, burden, and sadness...she feels. As grown adults, our Mother still feels our pain and wants nothing more than for it to go away. On the positive side, her happiness and joy is multiplied by that of her children.