That's me: 41, single, a football fanatic, and hiding behind sunglasses.As alcoholics we are good at hiding: our bottles, mistakes, heartaches, fears, and disease. AA tells us we need to hide behind a wall of anonymity. WHY? The answer is simple and unjust: society doesn't recognize we have a disease and that the cure is treatment-long-term, lifelong treatment. Instead we are misunderstood, labeled, judged, incarcerated, and outcast.We feel doomed to self-destruction, many times without the support of loved ones or friends. It's certainly not a road any of us would choose. We don't get up in the morning and determine "Today would be a great day to ruin my life, relationships, security, and career."Our only hope is support from those who understand, because they have walked this lonely, frightening, and oft discouraging road. I'm breaking anonymity, and speaking out about the horrors of our disease for two reasons. First, I want to encourage you, my fellow traveller, because there is hope; we can and do recover. Together let's find a way to join hands through these pages over the next thirty days and walk this thing out one day at a time. Secondly, I'm hopeful the day will come when we can be open and honest about our disease and receive the understanding and medical attention we need and deserve. I've met so many amazing men and women who suffer from alcoholism. We aren't a partying group; we are hurting. We need healing. We are, however, intelligent, creative, caring, loving, and tenderhearted men and women, husbands and wives, children and parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles; we are leaders and coworkers. We are of great value to our families and communities. Your first thirty days are just the beginning of a lifetime commitment; but they will be your hardest days. So reach deep. Make my commitment below, your commitment, and together let's take these first critical steps in this thing called recovery.