Fathers and Sons

I'm 53 years old. I entered AA 15 years ago and I'm sober 6 years. I grew up in Brooklyn with my father, mother and brother. I didn't see my father until I was 6 years old, when he returned from the army. Or so I was told. He was actually returning from a stretch in prison. My next surprise in the years to follow was finding out he was a violent, raging alcoholic who took his anger out by beating my mother, my brother and me. The physical abuse was bad enough, but the mental abuse hurt and lingered more. My mother and father divorced in 1977, and my brother and father haven't seen each other, or spoken since.