Why change?

Recently the concept of professional drinking was explained on this blog.

It is based on the fact that a person is not feeling more happy after 7 glasses of an alcoholic beverage instead of 5.

A professional drinker then is someone who drinks to reach the appropriate level of happiness and next refrains from more intakes.

This is the theory.
That was extensively and repeatedly discussed with cousin Jerzek and his beautiful wife.
Who is very much in favour of seeing her husband professionalize his drinking.
And this for good reasons.

Last night was the opportunity to learn how professional each person was.
In the case of cousin Jerzek it failed.
Understandably.
Because drinking occurs in a social setting.
And this social setting will be turned upside down if a person halts drinking at a certain moment claiming that the best level of happiness has been reached.

The social setting is prepared days ahead.
People communicate by phone to arrange seeing each other a certain day and time.
There already, indirectly, the drinking starts.
Because everyone involved knows that the meeting will be an occasion to drink alcohol.
And that the getting together is the perfect circumstance and partly the purpose to have a good drinking.
The day itself the party is prepared.
This by putting tables together surrounded by chairs so that all the people sit in a large circle facing each other.
On the table are bottles of water, cola and juice.
When guests arrive the ice cold bottle of vodka will come to the table.

The so-called party is nothing more than men sitting there and consuming alcohol.
And they talk of course.
Talk a lot.
And laugh.
Laugh a lot.
To have a hell of a time.

This goes on from about 5 pm to early in the morning.
More than 8 hours.
Just sitting, talking and drinking.
And only men.
No women participate in this event.

It is this pattern that is hard to break.
No professionalism is strong enough to change this ceremony.
Because it would involve letting the drinking partners down.
Who are the best friends.
Breaking a social code.
Even having to leave the table.

In itself nothing is wrong with these kinds of parties.
Except that it is devastating for the health.
Damaging and destructive.

The decision has to be made if that is acceptable or not.
The drinker obviously does but sometimes the family looks at it in a different way.
But there is nothing they can do but accept the decision of the drinker and hope for the best.

Change can only come from within a person.
It has to be the own decision.
Consequently, truly being with others means accepting the choices and decisions they make.

Cousin Jerzek had a fantastic time last night.
And that everybody wants him to have.

At this time of writing, 7.18 am, the whole house is trembling because of the snoring of cousin Jerzek.
Who will need the whole day to recuperate from last night’s party.
Which is a prize he doesn’t mind to pay.

The subject of drinking professionally will not be mentioned anymore.
To be a true cousin and not a schoolmaster.