Editing User:Roger Jackson (section)

= Roger Jackson =

I'm sixty-three years old. I've been sober for fifteen years.

Before that, I was an alcoholic for twenty-six years. From twenty-two to forty-eight. The blackouts, the broken promises, the bridges burned—I did all of it. Lost two marriages. Lost three jobs. Lost more friendships than I can count.

I spent those twenty-six years hating myself. Which, ironically, gave me a great excuse to keep drinking. If you already think you're worthless, why not prove it?

Getting sober was the easy part. I mean, it wasn't easy—but it was straightforward. Stop drinking. One day at a time. The hard part was what came after.

Because I expected to get sober and suddenly like myself. That's not how it works. The drinking stopped, but the guy in the mirror was still the same guy who'd done all those things. Accepting him—accepting myself—that was the real journey.

What I've learned is that self-acceptance isn't about thinking you're perfect. It's about making peace with the whole picture. The good parts and the parts you wish were different. The things you did well and the things you're ashamed of. All of it.

This wiki is for people who are tired of fighting themselves. Who want to know if there's another way. There is. It's not easy. But it's the only path to peace I've ever found.

''— [[User:Roger_Jackson|Roger Jackson]], finally at peace with the man in the mirror''