Seeing the path my dad was going down. I wanted to make sure my husband and kids would ever experience the hurt and fear I did nearly everyday of my life for 18 years.
And my mom's face the day I got drunk on accident. I didn't know the punch was spiked until after my 10th cup. My aunt who doesn't like punch asked to try my last cup because it must be good if I had those many. She took a sip and spit it out immediately. Then, she told me that it was spiked.
My sponsor in NA told me I had to stop drinking for her to keep working with me.
Hahah always good to look at the bright side.
Serious answer: I quit because I was unwilling to lose anything more to my disease. For more than 2 decades it took and took. It brought me across every line I had ever drawn. Jobs, relationships, money, freedom, self respect, dignity, pride, courage, strength, hope, and the list goes on. It took me a long time to accept my powerlessness. I did not understand the freedom inherent in surrender. I’ve heard it called the gift of desperation.
My kids
The first time, I quit because I was missing out on life and going nowhere. Had a great sobriety, but relapsed after 6+ years. The 2nd time I stopped, it was because I knew that my life would end if I didn’t stop, and my family needs me. Been sober for over 9 months, not looking back.
A broken back in 7 places. Being found unconscious in a ditch. Hit by a drunk driver, after walking home, because I didn’t want to drive drunk.