Flirting with Sobriety


It’s been two weeks now. Not a drop of liquor. Not even a Malpais Stout when I was at the Black Bird Saloon in Cerrillos for a delicious meal. Sniffed out the NyQuil at Walgreens but scurried to the Heel Balm section to distract myself. I even passed on some rum cakes at a recent party.

I’ve known about my cancer for six years and I’ve known about my proclivity for drinking for fifty years. Recently, I have, occasionally, dropped my drinking for a week or two here or there. But, I haven’t been as resolved as I am right now after reading one more study showing the link between alcohol and cancer, this one estimating that 40 percent of all cancer cases are associated with factors we can change—alcohol consumption being a prominent one. According to the study, “The takeaway is not that we should never enjoy a glass of wine or a beer with friends. Rather, it’s about being aware of the potential risks and making choices that align with our health goals. It’s about moderation, mindfulness, and informed decision making.”

So, what is “moderate drinking”? The U.S. government defines it as two drinks or less per day for men. Okay, so I’ve been a moderate drinker. They say, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but I’ve lived by the philosophy of “a drink a day keeps the anxiety away.” And, the past couple of years have been an anxious time for me, hence a little more drinking. 

I’ll never forget my grandfather Boo’s clock in his home office. Each of the twelve numbers evenly distributed around the circle showed the number 5. I didn’t get it as a kid, but by my teen years, I thought Boo was pretty cool. Let’s face it, most Americans define “moderate drinking” as not drinking more than your doctor and, boy, is he a lush!

I quit stone-cold at 26 a month after I opened my first boutique hotel. The Phoenix was a crossroads for the creative, but especially bands on the road who loved to imbibe. You know you have a drinking issue when you’re drinking as many shots as Johnny Rotten. Recognizing the occupational risks of being in the hospitality business, I stopped drinking for 15 years until my doctor-partner at the time reassured me that our trip with friends to the French wine region of Bordeaux might be a good time to see if I could sniff and swirl like any normal person. The truth is I could and I found my relationship with drinking the next 15 years to be relatively tame. 

But, I will say that opening MEA – with bottomless margaritas in Baja and Santa Fe – amongst a new set of best friends every week, some of whom came ready to let loose, has created a new occupational hazard. And, I feel good about drawing the line once again while I recite the Serenity Prayer each morning in the shower. I don’t know how long I’ll stick with this new regimen as I have 50 friends converging on the Rising Circle Ranch for my 64th birthday party at the end of the month, but I do notice that I feel cleaner, less dim, and more emotionally alert.

If you’re looking for a couple of upcoming alcohol-free MEA workshops, you might consider these two:

-Chip

P.S. In yesterday’s New York Times, they featured MEA in a story about longevity travel.

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