by It is difficult at first heading out sober! you feel like you are a science project. People are sincerely mystified with why you are not drinking. I understand why. Alcohol is absolutely imbedded in everything we do. It is unheard of celebrating an event or milestone without a drink. When you are ready to tackle this, be prepared to answer questions, lots of them. You work out pretty quickly that this is all you will talk about at social events for a while. Its a good thing, most people are pretty supportive and inquisitive because it’s not something they have considered doing, but you do get the odd person that is happy to make you the butt of their joke, a great eye opener as to the fabric of that person.
Ita Buttrose made a great observation one morning in a conversation about allowing your teenager to drink at home at the age of seventeen to celebrate an event. Most of the crew were for it, suggesting that if they were going to drink anyway, they would prefer that their children drank around them, in moderation. Sounds like a reasonable view. Ida’s position was “It also needs to be ok for them not to have to have a drink at the age of seventeen to celebrate”. It just shows how intrinsically embedded drinking is. I like to be able to consider both points of view which is why I appreciate so much that there are people willing to offer a differing position.
I have started moving in a totally different direction, I am meeting new people. These people are different, they are part of a new community that I previously had nothing in common with. I can’t believe how nice and supportive some of these people are. They are part of a running community and some of them are incredible athletes. It is inspiring what people can do and ask from their bodies. I feel compelled to move in this direction, this is how I want to live my life. I want to be around this group of people in this community. What I love about these people is that it doesn’t matter how fast you are or how far you run, if you want to be involved, put on your shoe’s, get out of bed at 6.30am and go and meet them and just have a crack! They are supportive like-minded people, its refreshing.
I belong here, in this moment moving in this direction! For the first time I feel like I am in the moment, not just skimming over the top of my life. Door’s are opening everywhere, but Guess what??
I had to bloody open them!!