emgreen and bizi: As you've seen elsewhere today, I'm celebrating 26 years clean and sober today. Like you emgreen, I've gone back out before - I came in in 1978, out in 1985 and back in May 10th 1992. Like you, my addiction picked up where it left off (at least), it seemed like my addiction was in the background doing push-ups or something because it was almost like it was where I would have been if I had continued drinking and using during the seven years I was clean.

The reason I asked for thoughts though was because I just saw something in the NA Basic Text that I've never seen before. Admittedly, I started in the program four years before the basic text was written and so I, like all addicts back then, used the AA Big book to work the steps and the Basic Text just never really became my go to book, so I've missed a few things - but couldn't believe it when I found myself on page xiv and read, "We can help to change the old lie "Once an addict, always an addict". I was shocked to tell the truth.

Was wondering what others thought of that was where the question came from. Thanks to both of you for weighing in.