Gasp. If this first picture can’t rip your whole heart out I don’t know what will. I’m posting for the world to see because *someone needs to see it.* The reality of alcoholism… Figuratively or literally, with your kids watching. The first picture is me, 5 years ago, 60 lb. heavier, numb in my own mess and so narcissistically-blinded that I couldn’t see what was actually playing out. The truth is that this happened on plenty more occasions than just a few. But when I say ‘occasions’, I don’t mean actual occasions to celebrate. Those were unnecessary. It was by myself. Any and every day of the week. Then it became any time of the day… f a s t. Then boom. Dark hole. I remember very little from 2017-18. Absent. Unpresent. Preoccupied. Distant. Distracted. I have so many more words but all I can say for now is that it’s a beautiful feeling to be present for every day of their lives going forward. Whew, they aren’t kidding when they say hindsight is 20/20.