Grieving the loss of a dear friend
Over the Christmas period I have been grieving the loss of a dear friend who left my side when I fell ill. This precious companion had been part of my life through thick and thin for almost 40 years . My dear friend, how can I celebrate when you were always the one leading the fun times? What can I do when it was you who supported me in dark times, when little else eased my pain? Now that we are parted, I can only look on as others share your warmth, laughing happily as you wash away their cares. And yes, I am jealous, quite frankly I am. Because I miss you, alcohol, I really do. I never realised how important drinking was to me, sure I exceeded health guidelines on many an occasion, but it was only ever a social adjunct, never a crutch. And yet, when you are the only one sober, you become very aware of how important alcohol is as a British social conduit, and how much of an outsider you are if you are not able to partake. Becoming a non-drinker is tough; there'