I wanted a drink. There were a hundred reasons why a man will want a drink, but I wanted one now for the most elementary reason of all. I didn't want to feel what I was feeling, and a voice within was telling me that I needed a drink, that I couldn't bear it without it.But that voice is a liar. You can always bear the pain. It'll hurt, it'll burn like acid in an open wound, but you can stand it. And, as long as you can make yourself go on choosing the pain over the relief, you can keep going.

~ Lawrence Block

Lawrence Block Addiction And Recovery Alchoholism Pain Sobriety

blue-gold sky, fresh cloud, emerald-black mountain, trees on rocky ledges, on the summit, the tiny pin of a telephone tower-all brilliantly clear, in shadow and out. and on and through everything everywhere the sun shines without reservation (p. 97)

~ Barbara Blatner

Barbara Blatner Alchoholism Barbara Blatner Cancer Colon Cancer Conflict Daughters Death Death And Dying Death And Love Death And Sickness Death And Son Death Of A Loved One Dying Grief Grievindeath And Daughters Grieving The Loss Of A Mother Hate Healing Love Memoirs Mother New York Quarterly Poem Poems Poetry Son Verse Verses

In Russia, drunks are our kindest people. Our kindest people are also the most drunk.

~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Fyodor Dostoyevsky Alchoholism Russia Satire