Why I Quit Drinking
In the early part of November 2019, I decided to do something that I have been thinking about for a couple of years. And never really imagined I would do.
And that is, I quit drinking.
In the past, I had given up drinking for Lent—with a whiskey and maybe some red wine on Sunday, because I’m not a Southern Baptist—and I prided myself on not really craving it through the week.
But after looking at 30 straight days of zero booze, through the Whole 30 diet, that was a different deal for someone who enjoyed the taste and the feeling of a nice buzz.
In fact, for the first time in my life, halfway through the Whole30, I felt a bit buzzed just from the feeling of having fasted from booze, and crap sugar and bloating carbs, too.
But the diet ended, and I did feel good, and I did lose weight.
But…I didn’t stop drinking.
I had heard about Ven. Matt Talbot, the Irish drunk who got sobriety and sanctity by cooperating in a heroic way with God’s grace before AA came along.
To understand why I quit drinking last fall, you have to understand that’s my father’s father was a hopeless alcoholic who died early in his 60s with health breakdowns related to decades of almost non-stop drinking.
His son, my father, ended up following in his footsteps and was an active alcoholic before I hit Middle School. Did a lot of damage to himself and his wife and his kids.
Thanks be to God he hit his own personal rock bottom and got sober on Halloween 1980.
He enjoyed 38 years of continuous sobriety in AA.
I never really felt I was in danger of becoming an alcoholic myself although having wine with dinner and maybe a cocktail in the night or with friends here and there began to become a habit.
I’m also a sinner, and although my Lord and Savior has suffered and died to forgive my sins, you and I can still play a *small* part and making up for the years that the locusts stole, and make reparation for the sins perpetrated against Christ and the Church at the hands of our enemies from without, and from within the Church.
And today there’s plenty of both around.
Maybe what I’m saying right now inspires someone — maybe you — to at least consider the idea of giving it up for your own reasons.
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Patrick I actually was a bit anxious about watching this video. I too have contemplated on stopping drinking. God Bless you for the way you reveal your heart. You have inspired me to consider, more deeply, giving up drinking. I have taken inspiration from the craft beer, and craft spirits industry because of the creativity, hospitality, and camaraderie that I have experienced. I need to pray about this but it does seem like God is calling me to do the same. You video was another “Divine Nudge”! 🙂 https://media2.giphy.com/media/cmxoN3sM5Mh0SJO16E/giphy.gif
Hey Big B! Well, in my case, — being on the slow side — I needed a slew of nudges. Over some years. In the end I wondered why it took me so long to stop debating with myself. Why was I afraid to even ponder dropping drinking altogether? How attached was I, REALLY? The sign that going forward with the decision was the unearthly joy that accompanied the idea. Everything seemed to click on multiple levels. I STILL delayed, with arrant BS reasons like “Gee I don’t want to waste the money I already spent on my liquor cabinet.” aka the Sunk Cost Fallacy. Besides, I’m a good bartender to my friends and happily make ’em something special when they visit. I don’t have an aversion or fear of being around it. Although….on New Year’s Eve, I was at a great Irish pub in Pasadena. It was packed. WIth drunk people. One guy recognized me from the show (or YouTube, or both I guess) and he wobbled over and put his arm around my shoulder, and poured on the words (all slurred) of love and admiration. Which, hey, is nice. But when the person is drunk, it’s not pleasant really. He glommed on and wouldn’t’ stop, and when he started saying “Hey, guys do you know who this is”? etc etc I had to move to another part of the venue. I wasn’t offended per se, and he was a sweet man, but I wasn’t there for that. Made me wonder if I’d ever been more under the influence thanI realize. Scary thought. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for the kind words (you weren’t totally liquored when you wrote that, right? heh)
Amen Brother! Again, “unearthly joy” resonates with me. In addition, giving it up for those that can’t. I just got home from mass and of course today’s Responsorial was “To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.” I even got some “Moscow Mule” (Copper Mugs) for Christmas from the kids! (Ages, 24,27,30, & 33 . . just to be clear!) I will update you on the journey.
Hate the taste of alcohol per se. Although the flavors of cordial liqueurs such as lemon, raspberry, orange, chocolate, vanilla, etc. are wonderful, they are ruined by admixture with burning sensations from the presence of alcohol. Even wine (at least commercial stuff) is disagreeable, and beer in particular is so bitter from the hops that it upsets my stomach and makes me feel spacey even from one mug (I must metabolize it poorly). Don’t know how people can tolerate alcoholic beverages, never mind consume them in large volume. IMO there’s nothing better than soothing herbal tea and fractionally-sweet dark chocolate (at a percentage of cocoa or cacao sufficiently short of bitter) for calming the stomach, with the exception (of course) of somehow minimizing the edginess of life stresses, which should be talked about MUCH more since it is so very hard to accomplish.
All very true. I dropped beer a few years back — feels like a cinder block in my stomach afterward. Am going to do stuff on diet and exercise in 2020.
Congratulations, Patrick. I don’t plan on stopping drinking, but I greatly admire your decision. My dad had a problem with drinking and it almost killed him when his arm went through a window and he almost bled to death. He quit that very day in 1962. He died January 1st, 2017 at the age of 95, sober.
Wonderful for your dad. Wow. And yes, the decision is not for everyone.
Great decision- I stopped alcohol 37yrs ago and joined AA – Best gift from God that keeps on giving.
Good decision Patrick. You are one of the most balanced and reasonable Catholics online. Thanks for everything you are doing for the benefit of souls and the glory of God. I decided to not consume alcohol 35 years ago when I was 22, and the way I see it, “I got off the garbage truck before it got to the dump.” Coincidentally, my last 2 YouTube videos I published within the last few days concern this very topic and how it relates analogically to the serious problems in the Church today. God bless. Fr. Anthony Hannon, Ontario, Canada. In Viam Pacis.
I am honored by your reply, Father. Yes, yes, and yes to what you say here. BTW, where in Ontario?
I am a priest of the Archdiocese of Ottawa and I am establishing a retreat centre called In Viam Pacis within the boundaries of the neighbouring Archdiocese of Kingston. When opened (soon), it will be for silent retreats for individuals or small groups of laity, priests, or religious. A few months back I had some email correspondence with your wife regarding your upcoming pilgrimage to Germany, and I think I gave my contact information. Perhaps that was lost at your end, but you can go to http://www.inviampacis.org and/or view the YouTube channel called “To Prepare His Way” to get an idea of who I am and what I am doing. God bless, and keep up the good work Patrick!
Ah, cool. Very good stuff. Very Madonna House-tinged, which is marvelous.