13. When Milestones Become Stumbling Blocks

I told Sam I was glad he was getting clean and sober early in his life.  He told me he was afraid of following in his grandfather’s footsteps. His grandfather had made a fortune despite being a raging alcoholic.

Sam said, “Grandpa was a good a man.  He knew he needed to spend more time with my dad, but there was always one more thing he had to do.  He knew he had a drinking problem, but there was always one more milestone he had to get past. He was going to be a better dad after the next big deal.  He was going to get sober after one more summer."

“Did he ever get sober?” I asked. 

Sam told me his grandfather got sober one year before he died.  “He had a great year, but he knew he’d missed out.  The milestones he passed that year were bittersweet.”

Today I will be careful not to let milestones become stumbling blocks.

Writing My New Story © 2015 by Ken Montrose

Other publications available at: http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S

(Just a reminder: Writing My New Story is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)