Other than drinking.

My sister says. Don’t give Julie advice. About her drinking problem. Instead, merely be her friend. And listen. Yes, shut up. Let Julie do the talking. Sister Babs says alcoholics don’t want advice.   In fact, preaching. Or giving advice. Is the worst possible approach. Just listen. Listen. Listen. Allow an alcoholic to talk. To ramble.  Because they won’t right the ship. And quit drinking. Until they are good and ready. They have to do it on their own. They can’t be forced. They have to come to enlightenment. On their own. In their own way. Babs should know. She spent most of her life as a drunk.  Babs told me that the more I preached, the more she resisted. The more entrenched she became. In resolving not to get help.  She kept drinking to spite me. And other preachers. My sister finally came to her own reckoning. Just over 10 years ago. When she quit. Cold turkey. Not only stopped drinking. But quit smoking, too. All in the same day.  She’s a recovering alcoholic. And vows to stay that way. For the rest of her life.  I’m encouraging Babs to connect with Julie. If she did, Babs wouldn’t talk to Julie about her drinking problem. Instead, she’d come to Julie. As a friend. A listener. Talking about everything but drinking. About Julie’s interests. About life in general. Yes, about the stuff she likes to do. Other than drinking. --Jim Broede