Great Aunt Bernadine's Story

          My husband developed a drinking problem. Every night after work, he would go out drinking instead of coming home. I waited for him at home with our young son, night after night, praying he would reach home safely. Finally he would stumble in the door, knocking a few trinkets over as he rambled into the bedroom to fall into bed.

            I begged and pleaded with him to quit drinking to no avail. I missed my companion and life partner. I missed the man I married the sweet, attentive one who had been replaced by a sullen, non-communicative, bleary-eyed, ungrateful monster. Little by little, one night at a time, we lost him. Our son lost the father he had dearly loved to the destructive elixir in a bottle, and their relationship was very nearly nonexistent.

            One night he came home particularly drunk and I don't know why he confronted me or his problem then, but he did. He cried on his knees before me that it would never happen again. He apologized repeatedly, and when he began his next day, he found an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. At first, he went to a meeting every single day, but as time wore on and he got stronger, he was able to skip a day here and there.

            He made new friends in AA and he kept coming back, and then he started working through their Twelve Step Program. It made a new man of my husband one I could respect again, and one who was loving and gentle with our son again. He helped me put our son thought U.C.L.A. graduate school and we remained together until his death.

Note:  These handkerchiefs were given to my Great Aunt by friends and parents of the many children she taught in kindergarten over the years. I can think of no more fitting home for them on this earth than the Face the Tears Project. I am sure she smiles on my actions on her behalf from Heaven.