The Long Haul

Before I completed my first Fifth Step, I was a sprinter in the game of life, not a long distance runner. It seemed that I never really finished anything. Off the line, I was good. I learned quickly and worked hard. Everyone would be impressed as I started out, and expect great things from me. I believe today that some of the greatest harm I did to those who loved me most was this ability I had to get up after a failure and start again. Each time I would get up, do well at the beginning, and everyone would take hope. "He is going to make it this time," they would say, and we would all believe it. Then I would lose interest, get distracted, drink, and once more let everyone down, including myself.