I gave up alcohol during Lent and I found it to be a surprisingly simple exercise. No one gave me any grief, though that is probably due to the fact that I said it was due to Lent. I lost weight, saved money, and consistently felt better when I awoke each morning. Since Easter, I've reverted to my old ways which means not necessarily drinking regularly but almost always drinking excessively I do.

Drinking to me is a social experience. I can count on my extremities the number of times in my life, I've sat down somewhere and had a drink in solitude. One of the observations from my alcohol fast was the people I did not see or interact with during the period. There were people who I considered good friends but when alcohol was removed from the equation, we did not interact. Part of it is that drinking is sort of a lazy activity that requires little forethought (aside from transportation) before showing up at a bar. But part of it was that alcohol had become something of a crutch for our interactions.

Not sure I'm ready to commit to a lifetime of sobriety, but the advantages - as many of you have articulated - are pretty clear to me. I salute you all.