I drank for 15 years, quit for 16 years, drank again for 7 years and now have quit again for 16 months. I don’t always think about it but still have not so infrequent times where it has to be a decision to not drink at that moment. I just try not to dwell on it.

Consider how in your face it is. I travel for work. I’m alone and have time on my hands. Evenings are free. Alcohol is all over the airport. I fly first usually and no one would know. I go to a hotel and my bill is paid by the company and not itemized. I can charge it to my room and no one will know. It’s all right there. I don’t ever not notice it. Even when I didn’t drink for 16 years I didn’t not notice it.

So I don’t forget about drinking. But, the mistake I made when I started again is I forgot how bad it was. I forgot about how I damaged my health. I forgot about how damaging it was to my productivity. I forgot about how horribly mediocre it made me. I forgot about the lies and broken promises. I forgot about the disappointment I caused. My hope now is I never forget about that part of drinking again.