Since I started drinking, I have dropped hobbies and activities I used to enjoy, one by one. Part of my therapy is getting me interested in some, if not all, of these things again. I think that the hope is that this will re-commit me to those healthy activities and, in doing so, convince me to drop my unhealthy activity, the drinking. Recently, my counselor got me to commit to going to a park that I frequented every Sunday, for many years, to run. It is a two mile loop, and I've run as many as 7 loops before my "downfall". Visiting there brought back very strong memories. Training, races, studying the sport, breathing hard, weather, aches and pains, joy of hitting a personal best, agony at walking during a race...I started crying hard, realizing what I had lost. Well, I lost it, but could regain it again if I start to move toward reducing, or even stopping, the drinking.

It hasn't convinced me to quit, yet...but I am considering signing up for a local 5K. My adult daughter has said she'll run it with me if I choose to run it. I really need a healthier lifestyle...let's face it, none of us are getting any younger!

So...I have mixed feelings for my "nostalgia".