A bright side and a dark side.

My dear friend Julie. She’s better. But she’s still fooling herself. Lying. To me. But even worse. Lying to herself. About the ramifications. Of being addicted to alcohol. Julie doesn’t drink every day any more.  She can go weeks without a drink. She’s enrolled in a rehab program.  But Julie still needs a drink. From time to time. To cope with the stress of living. Julie doesn’t yet recognize. The peril. That comes. With taking one drink.  Julie calls it a slip. Claims it won’t happen again.  But it does.  Julie tells me. That many in her rehab class. Have slips. Relapses. And talk about it. To each other. They ask for forgiveness. For their addiction. But still, some lie and cheat and manipulate and deceive. To find a way. To get their fix. Not every day. For Julie. Granted. That’s progress.  But still, Julie has a long way to go. She’s still in denial. Still thinking she can take a sip. And then a drink. And that won’t do any harm. Julie doesn’t recognize. That she’s a Jekyll and Hyde.  Two very different personalities. A bright side and a dark side.  Sober and – well, you know. Everyone knows. But Julie. --Jim Broede