But how do you expect me to..

stay sober for the rest of my life??

It must have been a real struggle. You didn't have much choice at the time. Since the age of 14, you had been working for the same boss. Over the years, alcohol had become your best friend and you learned to love that friend more and more until you reached the point of no return. You became an addict. You needed that alcohol and you were worthless without. That's how you saw it. Without the alcohol you couldn't function well. It affected your family life - coming home, falling asleep on the couch and being useless to your beloved ones - as well as your job. Up to the point where your boss wanted to talk to you in private. He said you had to deal with your addiction or he would have to let go of you. That must have been a true eye opener to you, because you did quit after that conversation..

May 25th 1992 - May 25th 2012

Photo Lana Joos

A day that changed your life and the lives of the people involved. Never again did you touch another sip of alcohol. Not one time did you tempt yourself to cross the line. Because the stakes were too high. You couldn't risk losing your job. A family of 5 children needed to be fed and you had to be fit and sober in order to do so.

Every day is a struggle. Every day you tell yourself: today, I'm not going to drink alcohol. Although there are plenty of occasions, you have stuck to that promise and I cannot even imagine how hard that must be.
You say you can't remember the taste. You also say you don't miss the alcohol. You don't miss the fog it gave you. Being away from the world is no longer priority.

You and grandma are coming over to our place to celebrate that important anniversary. It's pretty obvious that no alcohol will be served. We respect your wish and neither one of us needs alcohol to have a good time. But we will enjoy each other's company and a good menu. I've been looking forward to cooking this meal for you. You will love that pork rib crown roast, the broccoli mash, scalloped potatoes and the abundance of finely chopped vegetables. You will have your diet coke and you will tell your stories. Thank you grandpa, for having made that important decision. Thank you for sticking to it. That way we can enjoy you even better. We're proud of you. Are you proud of you?