Side Note

I want to put this side note in here, because I think that it is important. This does ultimately effect not just you but everybody that you are close to. However, I want you to remember that unless the people that you are close to have been through this process, it will be very hard for them to understand. A lot of times the way they will respond is emotionally. That can be anger or other extreme versions of emotion. It will take a long while for everyone to come to terms with what is happening, but part of this journey is learning to be patient along the way with everything. My parents and I have always had a rocky relationship, one where we fight a lot, but I am close with my family nonetheless. For the first couple of months of all this. To be quite honest actually, from May until December when I was finally sentenced there was a lot of tension and a lot of fighting when the discussion of the DUI came up. However, it has forced a bridge of honesty for us and it has taken our relationship to a new and very real level where we are okay with each other. In a lot of ways I have my DUI to thank for the change in the relationship with my family. Because I think that my relationship with them has been strengthened because of it. Because while I made a mistake it has forced me to make hard choices and to do things to turn my life around. I was never an "alcoholic" which is what is the tendency for people to think when someone has multiple DUIs. I just couldn't let go of the control that we all seem to think we need to just not get into my car and drive after I had a drink. At this point in time after going through all of this I have gotten to the point that when I am done with all of this if I am drinking I will not be driving and if I am driving I will not be drinking. Not even 1 drink. You can't do it, because at this point in time it is the officer's discretion and it doesn't matter if you are under the legal limit or not, if the officer smells alcohol on you, he will take you in, because as far as the officer will think they will think that clearly you didn't get it the first two times so I guess you need a third to figure it out. And if you think that the second is bad the third is going to be a million times worse. And I can guarantee from my own standpoint I have absolutely no curiosity to find that out for myself. Learn it here and now. Figure out a way to never be back here, because while it seems like it will never end, it will and you will have your life back and once I have my life back I am not going to allow anyone to take that away from me ever again. It's not worth the emotional roller coaster that I have been going through, or the one that I have put my family through. We all have a moment of epiphany and it will come to you and when it does I am sure that most will agree with this.