Read When it Feels Hard to be Sober During the Holidays

I had 6 days of company. I helped host a crowd of 15 and also hosted a crowd of 13. I had an open door and a week-long combination of family and friends passing through. Loved ones traveled to Illinois from Colorado, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. There were people aged six to 77. Three dogs. Beautiful chaos meticulously organized. Heartfelt gratitudes shared around a table. Turkey and brisket. Ham and carnitas. Donuts and pies. Chips and dips. Charcuterie boards that went on for days. A mix of Christmas tunes playing in the background. Silver bells. Football and more football on dueling wide screens. A big batch of chili. Dolly Parton at half time. Our first snow!

Gluten Free alternatives. A Wednesday night Poker Tournament. Afternoon naps. Sharing medical test results that were an answer to silent prayers. Client’s reaching out. People achieving new alcohol free milestones and ditching the drink. Staying sober. A Friday morning Euchre game. A houseful of my daughter’s college friends piling into our freshly painted basement. Noise. More noise. Excitement. A full home tour. Games. Who’s most likely to…? A restorative yoga class with my 15 year old baby. Holding hands whenever possible during the long hold stretches in the candlelight laying on the ground. The garbage that needs to be taken out. Again. Book recommendations passed around. Taking…