My recovery from addiction was a long in the making, as was my journey into addiction in the first place. Here is my story in rhyme:
I was lost for years, I was lost over time,
I started out a child the world to climb.
My parents did their best to raise me right,
I tried my very best and I stood my plight.
In my teens I learned about smoke and wine
and I thought having both was cool and fine
later college became life with study and stress
worked really hard, found need to decompress
so a drink late at night became a habit for me
I though that this is how that my life should be
I could relax and sleep, keep my life on this roll
and for years and decades I had some control
but the devil is a cunning and a patient beast
planned my life to be an endless torture feast
where he stripped me of my rest and my sleep
provided me anxiety and endless worry to keep
until I could not function without wine at night
adding sleeping pills to mix I know wasn’t right
my actions in life became such a constant battle
of hollow habits I could not manage, just rattle
then my body eventually could manage no more
it broke itself down, broke my spirit to the core
my health was gone, I knocked on Death’s door
I managed to survive this time, but I asked what for
after some self-pity I found at last my lowest point
a blackout, a fall, broken furniture, pain in every joint
the addict in me acknowledged his helpless state to all
and Alcohol Rehab was there ready to answer my call.
I went into Rehab along with my guilt and my shame
I could not be angry, had no one else to put the blame
found many tortured souls, each one with a tragic story
about how they had it all made but then fell from glory
sat in my gloom and despair, I became willing to learn
each passing day I began my self-respect back to earn
I found the tools necessary to again reclaim my life
got better, could sleep and gradually lessen my strife
I completed my stay and stopped all the pills and booze
knowing full well that I could the recovery battle loose,
it worked for many months until something went wrong
I was making progress in my mind, but I missed the song
this continued for months on the smallest scale
the devil pulled me back to the vodka and ale
but one morning came, an inner voice to me said
this is no life and such an existence cannot be lead
something in the clicked and I felt myself change
the hangover felt so right but yet it felt so strange
I think that my spirit took myself to myself to task
I long for no wine or pills, no escape anymore I ask
I will never again to the addiction mind be lured
I believe in my heart that my mind is now cured
I am feeling better than I have felt in my life,
have my health, sons, marriage and my wife.
A.G. Munson
