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Note: As I was organizing a box of memorabilia, I ran across a letter from my mother, postmarked January 13, 1979, four months before she died in her sleep due to acute alcoholism. I believe it is one of the last letters she ever wrote, certainly her last letter to me.
She was 48, younger than I am now, an alcoholic for most of her adult life--certainly most, if not all, of my life.
I was 28, juggling single parenthood, full-time college studies, and a part time job.
I have posted, without editing (other than replacing names with initials) or editorial, this letter, minus specific identifying information.
This decision to publish has not not come lightly--I have no wish to "beat up" up on my late mother--but if one person reads this and decides to stop drinking and get help, then it will have been worth it. In a weird sort of way, my mother, in a sober state, would have likely agreed...
Please note that I'm not anti-drinking--many people are able to drink responsibly--but some people just can't handle alcohol, and Mom was one of them.
Period.
"A Letter from a Mother to Her Daughter" moved to Why I Write