I stayed sober through my father’s funeral

Dear Delyara, My father’s funeral was exactly the kind of day I once would have drunk through. Relatives drinking before noon, old arguments, grief, people telling stories that made me want to disappear. I had fourteen months sober and knew the risk. Before the funeral, I told my sponsor the schedule, arranged my own transport, carried non-alcoholic drinks, and planned to leave the reception early if needed. At one point, my uncle pushed whiskey toward me and said, “Surely today doesn’t count.” I almost agreed. Instead, I said, “Today counts more.” I left twenty minutes later. That night, I sat with my sister drinking tea and talking about Dad until three in the morning. I remember every conversation. Recovery did not make the funeral easier. It let grief remain grief instead of becoming another reason I would later need to apologize.