ONE NIGHT MARY E. SLIPPED AWAY FROM VISIBILITY (but she´s never gone far away from me)

Mary E. looked like Helen Merren and Grandmere Mimi

Once upon a young mans lifetime, I had a very healthyminded mentor who became a good friend.  She remains nearby but she passed away decades ago.  Her name was/is Mary E. and although originally from California she spent most of her adult life raising a family with a banker husband in a elegant suberb of Chicago, Illinois.  After she divorced, she returned home to Los Angeles.

When I became aware of Mary, I was newly sober and I was 35 years old.  Mary was quite the positive influence immediately for me as she had 30+ years of sobriety and quietly chatted about being happy personally and grateful to be fully living out her life in sobriety.  Those words attracted me...I wanted to have a full and happy life in sobriety.

Mary was/remained a inspiration to me.  Mary became my confidant, my sponsor, my trusted friend.

After a year of sobriety I traveled all over the world (literally from Asia to Europe to the markets in New York) on a regular basis in a brand new job as marketing/product/design executive vice president for a fashion accessory importing company. I was away from home over 80% of the time.  Mary always encouraged (without many words) me.  I put fear and selfpity aside and went directly for happy, joyous and free, in great part thanks to Mary E.

 I was rarely home during my almost ten years as, very quickly, the President of the California division of that New York corporation.  Things went very well for me, I prospered  and so did my personal integrity. When I was home, Mary and I always got together, went to lunch or dinner (at some glamourous, or just plain ¨in¨ Los Angeles/Beverly Hills restaurant) and talked about living our full lives in sobriety...both her and me.  We had a wonderful friendship together as she, listened, she sometimes guided me when I felt overwhelmed or simply talked ¨stark reality¨ with me when I had dilemmas, moral or not, ready or not...she was a great friend who always stressed ¨the answers will come, that is, if I want them¨ .

Mary was my ever-present friend until her time amongst the living ended. One night she simply slipped away from the world and from everyones visibility...she didn't go far, she is with me. Still, as I write this blog entry sharing Mary E. Mary, another favorite and kind person for you to meet...a joyful person who moved on after sharing good real life experience and adventure while offering solid reasoning to me for maintaining lasting hope, earning trust, learning trust...eternally.  Ideals that still make me glad everyday and enthusiastic about life sober.

Thank you Mary E,

Len/Leonardo C. B.
Guatemala, Central America