It's been a learning lesson. One of the main reasons I used is to cover up the pain brought by the experience of war. While it temporarily numbed that pain, the pain always came back. I have been trying to own that experience and find more productive ways to deal with it. Sometimes you only realize abstaining is the best way after the fact. I've always been one to learn by experience, but this one was a rough one to learn through experience. Hopefully, I can be the person that people may actually listen to when I speak about the havoc it can wreak if you don't practice moderation.Even that can be a double-edged sword, because how will you know you are capable of practicing moderation once you start to drink? So it is probably like you said:
It's better to abstain than going through the route of alcoholism.
Once you are determined to take a route (abstainance), nothing can stop you !
Decision is the Key!
Today is day 71!
I love you bro!
You're doing it.
:-)