Andrew Hawkins

Things start to get good, and you start to realize that, okay, sobriety is not a switch that's on-off. It's a dimmer. I mean, it slides. The room gets brighter and darker. And many times during the day, there's not on or off. Life has got a ton of gray. And so whenever I was confronted with a problem or something, if I didn't want to think about it as a chef in a restaurant at

Things start to get good, and you start to realize that, okay, sobriety is not a switch that's on-off. It's a dimmer. I mean, it slides. The room gets brighter and darker. And many times during the day, there's not on or off. Life has got a ton of gray. And so whenever I was confronted with a problem or something, if I didn't want to think about it as a chef in a restaurant at

three, four, five, six, seven years clean, which is what I was doing for seven years in Minnesota, was I was a chef and partner in a very small restaurant group. As I was kind of rebuilding my life, I could dive into work. I mean, restaurants are perfectly

three, four, five, six, seven years clean, which is what I was doing for seven years in Minnesota, was I was a chef and partner in a very small restaurant group. As I was kind of rebuilding my life, I could dive into work. I mean, restaurants are perfectly

day-to-day restaurant work is perfectly suited for that if you're part of the leadership team because you can find the excuse to be there early before everyone shows up and leave late after most people have gone and justify it, right? Oh, this is a job that you have to devote yourself 100% to. I mean, devote yourself 100% to anything and there's no room for the rest of what life has to offer.

day-to-day restaurant work is perfectly suited for that if you're part of the leadership team because you can find the excuse to be there early before everyone shows up and leave late after most people have gone and justify it, right? Oh, this is a job that you have to devote yourself 100% to. I mean, devote yourself 100% to anything and there's no room for the rest of what life has to offer.

And the older you get, you mentioned mortality. I think it's more about realizing and I think it's probably the, you know, every year I have a different message for people. And I've realized kind of looking back at the last couple of months, my message for people does have a lot to do with my mortality, which is what do you want to spend your, your time on?

And the older you get, you mentioned mortality. I think it's more about realizing and I think it's probably the, you know, every year I have a different message for people. And I've realized kind of looking back at the last couple of months, my message for people does have a lot to do with my mortality, which is what do you want to spend your, your time on?

Because when, you know, when I died, which, you know, knock on wood won't be for a long, long, long time, people speak nicely of me. I hope, uh, assuming that I, I die clean and, um, I continue on the path that I'm on. People will say nice things about me when I'm gone. My possessions will get divided up. Pictures will be on people's walls.

Because when, you know, when I died, which, you know, knock on wood won't be for a long, long, long time, people speak nicely of me. I hope, uh, assuming that I, I die clean and, um, I continue on the path that I'm on. People will say nice things about me when I'm gone. My possessions will get divided up. Pictures will be on people's walls.

I'll be remembered fondly for a while until I'm not remembered at all, which is really – and I'm talking about on a regular, regular basis – you will gradually fade from people's consciousness. And at the end of the day, you know, how do I want to spend my time? Because accumulating the things is not going to do me any good when I'm gone. I need to be enjoying experiences now.

I'll be remembered fondly for a while until I'm not remembered at all, which is really – and I'm talking about on a regular, regular basis – you will gradually fade from people's consciousness. And at the end of the day, you know, how do I want to spend my time? Because accumulating the things is not going to do me any good when I'm gone. I need to be enjoying experiences now.

So hanging out and taking a walk with my kid has probably taken on 20 times the importance today than it did a year ago. I mean, literally a year ago, because those are the things that I want to be doing more of while I'm still ambulatory and can take a walk.

So hanging out and taking a walk with my kid has probably taken on 20 times the importance today than it did a year ago. I mean, literally a year ago, because those are the things that I want to be doing more of while I'm still ambulatory and can take a walk.

Likewise.

Likewise.

It's how you support your family. It's how you take care of yourself emotionally and mentally. There are a lot of healthy things about that. I always describe it to young men and women that I mentor, especially in the recovery that, you know, we have all these metaphors for it. You know, stay in the center of the boat. Don't get near the edges.

It's how you support your family. It's how you take care of yourself emotionally and mentally. There are a lot of healthy things about that. I always describe it to young men and women that I mentor, especially in the recovery that, you know, we have all these metaphors for it. You know, stay in the center of the boat. Don't get near the edges.

You know, it's the same thing as driving down the center of the road. Stay as close to the center line of the highway. Don't start bouncing off the guardrails, right, in life. And it's difficult because sometimes life forces you to bounce off. Sometimes that guardrail comes towards you. So it does become challenging. But we do seek out, for some reason, as human beings, there is an element of

You know, it's the same thing as driving down the center of the road. Stay as close to the center line of the highway. Don't start bouncing off the guardrails, right, in life. And it's difficult because sometimes life forces you to bounce off. Sometimes that guardrail comes towards you. So it does become challenging. But we do seek out, for some reason, as human beings, there is an element of