January 26

January 26 – AM          Page 172, Doctor Bob’s Nightmare, Part I

      After high school came four years in one of the best colleges in the country where drinking seemed to be a major extra-curricular activity.  Almost everyone seemed to do it.  I did it more and more, and had lots of fun without much grief, either physical or financial.  I seemed to be able to snap back the next morning better than most of my fellow drinkers, who were cursed (or perhaps blessed) with a great deal of morning-after nausea.  Never once in my life have I had a headache, which fact leads me to believe that I was an alcoholic almost from the start.  My whole life seemed to be centered around doing what I wanted to do, without regard for the rights, wishes, or privileges of anyone else; a state of mind which became more and more predominant as the years passed.  I was graduated “summa cum laude” in the eyes of the drinking fraternity, but not in the eyes of the Dean.

January 26 – PM          Page 74, Into Action, Chapter 6

      If we cannot or would rather not do this, we search our acquaintance for a close-mouthed, understanding friend.  Perhaps our doctor or psychologist will be the person.  It may be one of our own family, but we cannot disclose anything to our wives or our parents which will hurt them and make them unhappy.  We have no right to save our own skin at another person’s expense.  Such parts of our story we tell to someone who will understand, yet be unaffected.  The rule is we must be hard on ourself, but always considerate of others.