Step into almost any party today, and you’ll see it: the clink of glasses, the hum of conversation, the bar tucked into the corner—always flowing, always central. But look closer. You’ll also notice the guest quietly sipping soda water, the friend hesitating before asking if there’s anything non-alcoholic beyond juice, and the host—juggling logistics with a smile that’s starting to crack. I’ve lived on both sides of that equation.
Twenty years behind bars (the hospitality kind) gave me a deep respect for the magic of well-crafted drinks and joyful gatherings. But my journey through addiction and into recovery gave me something even more valuable: a clear-eyed understanding of what real connection looks like when nothing is numbed, and no one is left out.