This New Freedom

It was January 2012. I was six months sober and had finally completed my undergraduate degree after years out of college.  Three years earlier, in May 2009, I stumbled across the stage as my parents and grandmother cheered. Since I was three credits short of a degree and I was allowed to walk at graduation but got a blank paper instead of a diploma. I had some leftover coursework in one class from the spring semester, but I had been told I could complete it by September and get my degree. I had a brilliant plan to take a break for two weeks, finish the course work and go on to graduate school in the fall.