Posted on 03.19.2021

Addiction: Life's Too Short - Soapbox Jr.

I’ve struggled with this week’s soapbox for reasons I won’t go into, but I wanted to talk a little bit about my grandfather, William Carlton Daniel(s). He passed away on April 13, 1973.

In his book, “Never Look at the Empty Seats,” dad spoke candidly about his father’s struggles. I was aware that my grandfather was an alcoholic, functional most of the time, but what I wasn’t aware of – until I read dad’s book - was the fact that the reason they moved around so much when my dad was growing up was that Grandpa Carlton would lose his job because of his addiction, but he was so good at his job and had enough contacts in the timber business that he would always find another job, but that usually meant relocation.

My recollections of him are fairly vague, I was almost 7 years old when he passed away from a heart attack, so I have a few bits and pieces of memories. I remember visiting my grandparents’ home in Wilmington, North Carolina when I was very young. Some of the stories I know have been told to me by mom and dad over the years. For example, he took me to get my hair cut, and I’m not sure exactly why, but I must not have wanted it cut, because they told me I didn’t want to have anything to do with him for a while after that, and I remember him making fried eggs with bacon grease, and being a young child, they looked dirty to me, and being the picky eater that I was, I didn’t want to try them.

But I remember that he was a kind and loving man, but he had an addiction which probably put him in an early grave, robbing him of his life, his family, and seeing his only son succeed beyond his wildest expectations.

People who are dealing with this addiction are often lacking candor, with others, and with themselves.

Those magic words, “I don’t have a problem,” which I understand that every alcoholic has uttered at least once - and most likely much more often - are pretty much a sure sign that there is a problem.

From what I have been told, there is a saying among those alcoholics who have been in treatment and those who have loved ones who are alcoholics.

“How can you tell if an alcoholic is lying?”

“Their lips are moving.”

Alcoholism is an ugly disease. It drives people apart, it deludes those who suffer from it with the lie that they are in control of their drinking when it's the drinking that is actually controlling them.

I know people who have struggled with and are still struggling with this, and it is indeed life-long, but no matter how hard you are struggling, you are a child of God, and He wants better than this for you.

I urge anyone who is struggling with this, who thinks they can control their addiction to be honest with themselves and to get some professional help before it is too late for them.

Many treatment programs are faith-based, and it’s with His help that healing can begin, physically and spiritually.

There is a powerful line from the Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss song, “Whiskey Lullaby” about two characters and it says that he – and later she – “put that bottle to” their “head and pulled the trigger.”

Tragically, that’s essentially where that road leads for many.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police, the peace of Jerusalem and our nation.

God Bless America

#BenghaziAintGoingAway

—  Charlie Daniels, Jr.

 

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Check out "Geechi Geechi Ya Ya Blues" from Beau Weevils - 'Songs in the Key of E'

 

 

Comments

There Is Hope
Amen, Amen & Amen Charlie Jr Alcoholism is a struggle for countless people, it along with drug addictions cost more than we can imagine in terms not only monetarily but in lives cut short, children living in situations that are not right in any way shape or form, spouses bearing the unthinkable, and other family members at a lost just trying to help. I have always said you will be better of in life if you never even try alcohol. It worked pretty good for Donald Trump and I think that some people are alcoholics after their first drink, therefore they should have never taken the first one. But no matter what we have done there is hope in Jesus.....nuff said God Bless Plowboy
Posted by Plowboy
Addiction
They say that an addiction in the genetic pool skips a generation and then remanifests itself. I don't always buy the theory personally but am aware that life in general and stress can lead people down a path they might not normally travel. My Dad's dad died at the tender age of 52 of cirrhosis of the liver from his uncontrolled use of alcohol. My father never took a drink in his life and fortunately I'm not a drinker either, not even a social drinker. I plan on watching my grandkids grow up and enjoy my time with them (though I currently only have a 2- year old granddaughter). I pray that life is good to her and if she ever has an issue that she needs help with, that she knows she has wonderful parents and grandparents that will never steer her wrong. I wish my Dad could have seen this great grandchild of his but since both my daughter and myself didn't begin having children until we were almost 30, time ran out for Dad. I wish that I could have known my grandfather also. I study my ancestry often and still have many unanswered questions about paternal family lines. Life goes on and children grow up, many lessons of life to learn and teach. Looking forward to taking my granddaughter to World Outreach for Good Friday service soon. Mark in Shelbyville.
Posted by Mark
Amen!
I'm a recovering alcoholic/drug addict with almost 22 years sobriety under my belt. I'm now very active in the Celebrate Recovery ministry, along with my wife. We do recover through the grace of Jesus Christ!
Posted by Steve
Alcohol
Yes it’s a terrible disease that robs destroys and sadly kills. I lost my brother to cirrhosis of the liver almost 13 yrs ago. My father was also a alcoholic. It caused a lot of problems for our family. We did without due to the fact he put his drinking ahead of his family’s needs. My mom would borrow money to buy groceries or to pay the electric bill so it wouldn’t get turned off. While my daddy would go on a drinking binge and not hit a lick at a snake for two weeks! Then there was the beatings that me and my oldest brother got. Mine was bad but not like my brothers. My daddy & brother seemed to be like oil & water they just didn’t get along. I think that’s why my brother turned to drinking and it ended up costing him his life at only 48 yrs old. I’m so thankful for the Christian mother I had. Both my daddy & brother did quit drinking before they passed away. As far as I know they made things right with the good Lord. I hate alcohol I know all too well the problems it can cause. If there’s someone reading this if you need help please seek help. There’s help out there don’t let this ruin your life and your loved ones. Make each day count and use it to build memories of great times not one filled with bad memories. May God bless you all.
Posted by Lena
Addiction
Thanks for posting addiction is a disease. I believe it is. With much prayer and many Nicorette; I finally stopped smoking in 2004. I always tell people cigarettes are the legal form of crack. With that said, I pray daily for all Addicts to include pornography.
Posted by Paula
True as life: mission of Grace
Thanks for this positing. For many of us, it touches very close to home. If not you directly, then someone you know. I unfortunately never saw or remember one Grandpap but I knew he was an alcoholic. Hard working meant hard playing (or drinking) for some people years ago. But I do understand and was always told there is an alcohol gene. Whether that is literal or not, people know what I mean. God can overcome it because I am convinced a person does not do it on their own. And then they have regrets about why it was a problem in the first place. But your clean, simple telling of that story hits home. For that reason I have been cautious of going down that road. Fortunately that has helped. Too bad though he missed seeing the best parts of his son's career. I can attest that God can deliver and Jesus is there 24/7. It's the recovery from anything program I firmly believe in. ~ NIMOC
Posted by Jeff
One grandfather beat it, the other did not
I have the classic good news/bad news thing here Both of my grandfathers were alcoholics, both passed away, one before I was born in 1958, the other in the 90s.... The 1958 one was my dad's dad. He grew up and worked in a steelmill environment in the city. He was an accountant, did books for local establishments. But everyone in that neighborhood drank. A lot. Always at taverns. And it was as much to get away from the wife and kids as it was to enjoy the buzz of a few drinks. But my dads dad spent much time in them. And spent what little he made, and the family suffered. He never really got over it, and he died of a heart defect, but I wonder and an sure that the drinking certainly did not help his cause, dying at 44. He never did get over his drinking. The other Grandfather, my moms dad, was also an alchoholic, but after his wife left and divorced him, he did AA and never drank a drop again, hoping he could get back with his wife, but she would not have him back. He started a new family with a good woman from Georgia, and had one son, and lived a long life, and never took a drop of drink after the AA, and God bless him for that A lesson? One word. Responsibility. It really all comes down to only that. Don't give me any nonsense about addiction. We "know what we do" when we put ourselves in that position, walking into a bar, a liqour store, parties, etc if we know what that leads to. My Moms dad did and never let himself be in that position again. At family parties, he would sit quietly to himself, friendly enough, but quiet. And now I understand why. He did not want to be put in the position of being a "Good Time Charlie" with the drinkers there, even at a family party. He dealt with it by keeping to himself in a nice way. And I would usually walk over and chat with him when I was a kid and teen, and we had a very good connection. But it just comes down to the fact that he had the responsibilty and will power to be good and be the family man he knew he had to be, while the other one did not, far as I know. Its so simple. Take care of your own self. Respect yourself and your body. Take care of your family, Respect them and love them....... Often the greatest answers are the simplest. And one word is all it comes down to. Responsibility
Posted by Scott