I was 8 years old the first time I had a taste of stout

Pap was often away in the army,

and he would say to Mom ”Better with me, than anybody else.”

I was 13 years old when sipping wine became a norm at dinner parties, with family and friends

my parents would say to them ”Better with us, than anybody else.”

I was 18 years old when tequila shots and blackouts were a weekly affair

how I thought these were the best days of my life!

and, I would say to my peers ”Better with you, than anybody else.”

I was 22 years old when I moved overseas for school, where a beer at lunch with classmates quickly evolved to bottles of wine on my own at night

lonely, I would say to the bottle ”Better with you, than anybody else.”

THAN ANYBODY ELSE I was 24 years old when heading straight for the bar after work and drinking til 4 in the morning was my life emotionaly bankrupt, and depressed and yet when they said ”You have a problem” I would think, ”what do they know, I’m better than everybody else.” I am now 29 years old and it has been 395 days since my last drink. I stumbled into the rooms for my using and I am staying. Staying to learn how to live ”Keep coming back,” they say, and I say, ”Better with you, than anybody else.” ~Anonymous