Sober Is As Sober Does

I woke up this morning with the definition of sober on my mind.  Perhaps it is not an everyday sort of thought for the "normies" of the world, but I work as a therapist in a substance abuse recovery program.  Sobriety is a construct that is part of my everyday consciousness.

Webster's Dictionary 1828 

Sober

SO'BER, adjective [Latin sobrius.]

1. Temperate in the use of spiritous liquors; habitually temperate; as a sober man. Live a sober righteous and godly life.

2. Not intoxicated or overpowered by spiritous liquors; not drunken. The sot may at times be sober

3. Not mad or insane; not wild, visionary or heated with passion; having the regular exercise of cool dispassionate reason. There was not a soberperson to be had; all was tempestuous and blustering. Not sober man would put himself in danger, for the applause of escaping without breaking his neck.

4. Regular; calm; not under the influence of passion; as sober judgment; a man in his sober senses.

5. Serious; solemn; grave; as the sober livery of autumn. What parts gay France from sober Spain? See her sober over a sampler, or gay over a jointed baby.

SO'BER, verb transitive TO make sober; to cure of intoxication. There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain and drinking largely sobers us again.

Today's Definition:

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Definition of sober

soberer play \ˈsō-bər-ər\; soberest play \ˈsō-b(ə-)rəst\

1a : sparing in the use of food and drink : abstemious

: not addicted to intoxicating drink: not drunk

: marked by sedate or gravely or earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor

3: unhurried, calm

4: marked by temperance, moderation, or seriousness 

• a sober candlelight vigil

: subdued in tone or color

: showing no excessive or extreme qualities of fancy, emotion, or prejudice

Synonyms

clearheaded, straight

So much of what sober is defined as, is what it is not.  In simplest terms, sober is "not drunk."  Today's sobriety also includes "not high." Sober is the natural state.  It is an awareness in the present moment versus the awareness stuck in the past or fretting and fearing the future.  It is being mindful and conscientious of the now, an active state of experiencing the now.  It is choosing an unaltered and natural state. It is the height of mental, spiritual, and physical acuity, logic, and reason by operating firmly from executive functioning in the frontal lobe of the brain.  Being drunk or high suggest escaping the present moment, choosing an altered, selective, and ultimately, a false reality.

Knowing that being sober brings with it the acceptance of reality as it is lays the foundation for choosing all emotional states in the present.  It is choosing to feel even the most difficult, uncomfortable, and painful emotions in a mindful and present way.  It is experiencing grief, loss, and pain with the hope of resolution, trusting that the emotion once felt and released, will diminish in frequency and power.  It is finding enjoyment and pleasure in the sensations of the now.