The Next to Last Drink

WHAT KIND OF COURAGE DOES ONE NEED TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION AFTER YEARS OF USING ALCOHOL TO RELIEVE ANXIETY? RUMI, THE 13TH CENTURY POET, ASKS: WHY DO YOU STAY IN PRISON WHEN THE DOOR IS SO WIDE OPEN? WILL VALENTINE IS A PROMINENT ARCHITECT WHO SPENDS MUCH OF HIS LIFE USING ALCOHOL TO QUIET ANXIETY. WHEN ALCOHOL BECOMES TOXIC TO HIM, HE NEARLY LOSES HIS LIFE, AND THAT FORCES HIM TO BEGIN THE JOURNEY OF RECOVERY. HE BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF HIS WILL AND PERSONAL COURAGE, AND HE'S DETERMINED TO MAKE IT THROUGH WITH THOSE ASSETS. BUT A SURGE OF ANXIETY WEAKENS HIS WILL POWER AND THREATENS HIS RESOLVE. ANXIETY MEDICATIONS THAT MIGHT BECOME ADDICTIVE ARE FROWNED ON BY HIS COUNSELORS. SAFER MEDICATIONS EITHER DO NOT RELIEVE ANXIETY OR THEY DIMINISH HIS LIBIDO. HE ADMITS THAT IN HIS MIND HE WANTS TO BE SOBER, BUT IN HIS HEART HE WANTS TO KEEP DRINKING. HE REALIZES THAT ALCOHOL HAS GIVEN UP ON HIM MORE THAN HE HAS GIVEN UP ALCOHOL. WHAT WAS ONCE A REMEDY IS NOW A POISON. WILL IS AT THE CROSSROADS WHEN A DIARY COMES INTO HIS HANDS AND CHALLENGES HIM TO CONFRONT HIS ADDICTION AT A DEEPER LEVEL. RELUCTANTLY, HE CONSIDERS THE LIMITATIONS OF WILL POWER AND COURAGE, AND HE RE-THINKS HIS POSITION ON FAITH. BUT WILL VALENTINE IS WARY OF GIVING IN TO A HIGHER POWER FOR FEAR OF LOSING PERSONAL FREEDOM AND THE IDENTITY OF THE MAN HE KNOWS AS HIMSELF. WALK WITH WILL VALENTINE. ACCOMPANY HIM ON HIS JOURNEY AND SEE WHY EVEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE MUCH TO LOSE OFTEN DO NOT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION.