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Oh, You’re Sober? Are You Okay?
I have been thinking a lot lately about how alcohol has found its way into every crevice of society.
Last night, I talked to a lovely guy who admitted to me that he can’t attend a social event or spend time in a group unless he is drinking. It didn’t take long for my partner to pipe up, “Jesse can hold a full-on conversation absolutely sober, but I can’t!” I found it a pretty profound statement, especially that he so readily admitted it. What does this say about us as people?
I was genuinely surprised. I don’t drink, but it hasn’t been that long since I had my last poisonous sip. I can’t quite remember if alcohol was a social lubricant for me or if it was something I did for the sheer buzz of it. It got me thinking.
In my line of work as a counselor and a self-help writer, I speak to a lot of people about the stresses and turmoil of life. And while I cannot divulge what gets discussed in my sessions, I can tell you this; alcohol comes up in nearly every conversation I have. That in itself is both sad and profound. Not only has alcohol found a way into my social life, but it’s also part of my work life.
Last night, I watched as everyone around me was imbibing, and it impacted my thought process. I couldn’t help but think to myself, what a bunch of Robins! If you don’t already know, the African Robin is a bird that likes to imitate the song of other birds. It sounds almost identical to the birds it is emulating, but most often slightly off. When we’re drinking, we’re like the Robin. We are not quite ourselves — we are striving to be something else. Perhaps we don’t want to be ourselves.
I couldn’t help but notice that I was the odd one out. How have we developed into a society where it’s strange or unusual not to take drugs? I’m acutely aware of how different I am, which in the past was cause for many anxiety-riddled sober nights out. Perhaps it’s society — society is always a good thing to blame, right? We are coached into an “it’s okay to drink” mindset from an early age.
It starts with seeing our parents do it, and, of course, we’re exposed to terms and phrases along the way…
