AA Recovery Interviews with Howard L.

Alejandra W. is a woman whose story will touch your heart. Originally from South America, she was raised from a baby by her grandparents while her mother’s alcoholism derailed her family. Later, after her mother got sober through AA, Alejandra accompanied her to meetings as a little girl. But that exposure to AA was not sufficient to keep her from becoming an alcoholic, and she ended up in AA herself at 15. She stayed sober until she relapsed at 22 and then began a tragic odyssey of full-blown alcoholism, traumatic experiences, and forays in and out of the rooms of AA.

When she finally got back to Alcoholics Anonymous in 2009, she was physically, emotionally, and spiritually depleted. But, by following the Program and the guidance of her sponsor, she slowly rebuilt her life of sobriety. Today, she stays in the center of the Program by attending regular meetings, maintaining the 12 Steps, and demonstrating her recovery though selfless service work in AA.

At 11 years sober, Alejandra’s life reflects the many blessings she has received through her active involvement in AA by serving others and passing those blessings onto anyone who reaches out to AA for help.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

At 88 years of age and 47 years sober, Bob B., is widely-known as one of the “elder statesmen” among the people in my AA community. Bob’s journey on the road of happy destiny has taken many turns along the way. He encountered hopelessness and desperation in the beginning, followed by teachability and humility as the years passed. Bob’s sobriety was challenged by pride, ego, and self-centeredness as he trudged the road, even in the midst of helping many suffering alcoholics. But his spiritual awareness and reliance on his higher power was ever-evolving during those many years, ultimately casting a bright golden light upon those dim regions of fear and doubt that affect us alcoholics, no matter how long we’ve been sober. That illumination transformed and enriched Bob’s sobriety and his continuous service to AA.

When I first met Bob, 33 years ago, he was a scary guy, sharing in meetings about getting shot and knifed in seedy bars down on the waterfront. But, as I’ve gotten to know him, his story of growth in the Program has taken on new context and meaning. It’s both cautionary and instructive, but also entertaining. As a recovering drunk with an enduring message to share, Bob’s story, bolstered by service work and love for other AA’s, has endeared him to several generations of recovering alcoholics. He’s been a cherished part of my recovery. Whether you’ve known Bob for years or are meeting him for the first time on this show, I believe you’ll be captivated during this 90-minute podcast.  

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

"A head full of AA and a belly full of booze” describes that terrible feeling experienced by those who’ve been to AA, but chose to go back out and drink. My guest today, Sally G., thought that all the knowledge she had gleaned from a couple years of a half-hearted commitment to AA would be enough to keep her sober. But it wasn’t. She slipped rapidly back into an alcoholic abyss that consumed her life for most of the 1990’s. By the time she was intervened on in the spring of 1998, on the verge of losing her husband and children, Sally had hit a dark-bottom that was her turning point to a new life of real sobriety. Sally has been sober nearly 23 years now and has been a good friend of mine for many of them. Whenever I’ve heard her share in AA meetings, my hope has been that everyone in the room who was struggling was also tuned into her vital message. My hope today is that Sally’s cautionary story of getting and staying sober will resonate with all who hear it. It’s an investment in listening for a little over an hour to her captivating tale of experience, strength, and hope.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

In the first seven episodes of this podcast, you’ve heard from recovering alcoholics whose continuous lengths of sobriety range from 16-42 years. My guest on today’s show, Chris G. offers the perspective of one who found AA over 15 years ago, but after the first year and a half, decided to go back out. Relapse for some is a sad and tragic story. Many alcoholics are claimed by incarceration, institutionalization, or death before they have the chance to make it back. In Chris’ case, by the grace of God, he survived to finally return to AA and today has 4 and a half years of continuous sobriety.

I met Chris 15 years ago when he first came to AA, welcomed him into the fold, and was glad to see him every week. Despite the many time he slipped and came back, we were glad to see him and all of us encouraged him to do the work and reap the gifts of sobriety. Now, with nearly 5 continuous years in the Program, many of those gifts have shown up in Chris’ life, and are his to keep as long as he stays actively in the middle of the AA Program.

Chris’ story may be of particular interest to listeners in early sobriety, as well as newcomers and those back from relapse. It’s also essential listening for those who’ve been around a while who will appreciate the heartfelt gratitude for AA present in the experience, strength, and hope offered by my very special guest, Chris G.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Thanks to the international reach of Alcoholics Anonymous, I’m pleased to welcome Margie D., whom I first met in a London-based Zoom meeting early last year. We've gotten to know each other in the many zoom meetings we’ve shared since then. She was among the first people to greet me in that meeting and we’ve mostly gotten to know each other during the 10-15 minutes of fellowship we both enjoy prior to each meeting.

Originally from New England, but having lived in Great Britain for many years, Margie has over 41 years of sobriety. Having faced countless obstacles to getting to AA and subsequent challenges to sobriety during her 4 decades in the Program, Margie has remained as passionate and committed to the AA as one can be. In all those years, the longest she’s ever gone without a meeting was 10 days (during the birth of her children). The simple Program she was first told to follow by the “frigging old dudes”, as she describes them, is the same version of Alcoholics Anonymous she has embraced over these many years. It’s also the same program she has freely given to others through frequent sponsorship and a wide variety of service commitments she has fulfilled since getting to AA in the fall of 1979.

As you listen to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews, take note of Margie’s good humor and enthusiasm for Alcoholics Anonymous, and her non-stop work in the Program, and you will learn exactly how someone can put together so many years of sobriety. And whether you’ve been sober a long time or a short time, whether you’re brand new or have returned to AA after a relapse, Margie’s message of hope, faith, and trust is one you can take to the bank, that spiritual bank that is. And whether you’re listening while you’re driving, multi-tasking, or relaxing with your feet up, please enjoy the next hour, one minute at a time, with my special guest Margie D.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]

Jacqui's powerful perspective on Alcoholics Anonymous is the by-product of years of hard-earned experience fraught with adversity and despair. Even after finding AA, she struggled to stay sober in the Program in the midst of one relapse after another. Finally, nearly 28 years ago, Jacqui’s disease, and its physical ravages on her body, brought her to a dismal bottom from which only a true spiritual realization could save her. That she’s alive today, after finally gaining a solid foothold in the middle of AA, is proof-positive that miracles can result from doing the hard work required by this simple Program.

Jacqui has a direct, no-nonsense approach to AA and an eager willingness to share the gut-level truths about the Program with new-comers and old-timers alike. Her ability to put into words what she’s feeling at any given moment creates an atmosphere in which meeting attendees seem more willing to open up about what’s going on with them. Her gifts of spiritual awareness, combined with a deep understanding of the Big Book and the steps, has allowed her to make a huge difference in the lives of the women whom she has sponsored. And her service work has been a wonderful contribution to the AA community.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you’ve only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. - Howard L.]

Tom's incredible story is one of a man whose life was turned inside out and upside down by alcoholism, drug addiction, and crime. From a difficult childhood, he emerged into a troubled adolescence, drinking at 14, shoplifting, and getting kicked out of high school. Hanging with the older boys, his drinking increased beyond sociable and his drugs got harder, culminating in ruinous heroin addiction. His 20’s and early 30’s saw him in and out of county jails and state prison, until his third felony conviction for armed robbery at age 36 finally resulted in a life sentence at a maximum security prison. With alcohol and various drugs widely available from other inmates, his life behind bars provided little chance of sobriety or parole.

Amidst the bleak realization that he’d spend the rest of his life in prison, there came a small spark of hope ignited by memories of the early AA meetings Tom had attended during his many stints in the county jails. Though he hadn’t succeeded with the Program in the past, he started going to AA meetings in prison brought there by a small group of dedicated members of the outside AA community. He found his sponsor inside, who guided him in working the 12 steps. Slowly, he began to turn his thinking and spiritual awareness around. Ultimately, he found that service to other inmates from a genuinely humble frame of mind gave his life newfound meaning and purpose.

But that’s just part of his story. You’ll hear the rest in the podcast. Suffice it to say that Tom’s AA program, forged in prison, was burnished in the years since he was released. He’s become a cherished member of the AA community and a vital part of the recovery scene. He’s a fine and trusted friend to many and one of my favorite people in the fellowship.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard's Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you've only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.]

Can someone be too smart or important to get sober in A.A.? My guest, Scott B. had his Ph.D. in neurobiology and an accelerating career in medical research to dispel any notions of being an alcoholic or drug addict. His superior intelligence, unflappable ego, and iron-will would shield him from the realities of a life rapidly falling apart around him. But his journey into the dark regions of substance abuse ultimately brought him to his knees as a ravaged and demoralized subject of King Alcohol and Lady Cocaine.

Increasingly frequent use quickened the downward spiral of his life and career. Intelligence and will power alone were not enough to save him. Teetering on the edge of the abyss, a single lifeline, in the form of a crafty intervention by his colleagues and friends, was thrown to him. Clinging onto it as only the hopeless can, he finally let that lifeline pull him into treatment and A.A. After nearly 33 years of sobriety, Scott gratefully reflects on that crucial turning point that grew into a brilliant career, a fulfilling life, and daily service to others. His wonderous story is one that needs to be told. More importantly, it's one that needs to be heard by anyone, anywhere who reaches out for help.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

Check out Howard's Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and more than 50 original stories most people have never seen. If you've only read the Fourth Edition, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.]

Newcomers often find it amazing that someone with so much time would still attend AA meetings on a regular basis. Linda G got sober at age 22 and has more than 4 decades of sobriety as an active and engaged member of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I greatly admire Linda because when I was new in AA, I found it hard to believe that people with 5 or 10 or 20 years were still going to meetings. In fact, I thought that those who were picking up birthday chips came once a year. Or, at most, maybe every quarter. I figured that people with a few weeks or months or maybe a couple of years had to go all the time. But why keep going to meetings if you’ve shown you can stay sober for a long period of time? Of course, I eventually found the answer by regularly attending meetings where I met lots of sober alcoholics who not only came all the time, but actually seemed to enjoy it.

As my own years in the Program continued to add up, I was still going to six or seven meetings a week. Not just to fortify and protect my sobriety, but to actually enrich and enjoy my life through the close interpersonal relationships with other alcoholics. Of course, this didn’t just happen.  It took time and work. And it came as the result of watching and getting to know people like my guest on today’s show, Linda G.

 I first met Linda many years ago at an AA club that we still attend. I got to know her the way we do in the program, by hearing her speak in meetings and watching her interact with others. Her sharp, no-nonsense shares always seemed to be on the mark and her references to the Big Book demonstrated a thorough knowledge of how AA works. What’s more, by coming early and sticking around after meetings, I had the opportunity to see her commitment, compassion, and understanding in action. Whether it was one-on-one or in a small group, Linda’s thoughtful and provocative comments seemed to attract people to her. I certainly wanted to get to know her better. And I did.

Even with a very full schedule in the medical profession, in which she’s helping many people every day, Linda still makes the time to go to meetings and work with other women as a caring and dedicated sponsor. The effectiveness of her sponsorship is readily seen in the way her sponsees sponsor other women.

If you ever want to know why someone with 40-plus years in the program is still goes to meetings and stays actively engaged in every facet of Alcoholics Anonymous, you’ll enjoy this show with Linda G. She's one of the finest people I’ve ever known.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.]

Question: If you were diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, would you stay sober or drink? Alex L., faced that tough choice during his sixth year of sobriety in AA when he was diagnosed with MS, an incurable and disabling disease that attacks the brain, spinal cord, and the entire central nervous system. His future would be one of certain pain, constant struggle, and debilitation of his entire body. But Alex chose not to drink, and, today, at 35 years sober, he still relies on his active AA program to get through each day and be of service to his fellows. His is an extraordinary story for which the Serenity Prayer itself could have been written.

I first met Alex over 30 years ago before he contracted MS, while he was an active and engaged member of AA. We attended lots of meetings together, and though we lost touch for a period of time shortly after he got MS, we reconnected several years ago. We resumed a rich and meaningful friendship and credit God and AA for bringing us back into each others’ lives.  Alex has been an inspiring and influential force in the lives of many men and women in the Program. He always brings a smile to the faces in the many rooms into which he rolls with his incredible motor chair.

Be sure to check out the Big Book Podcast, the free audio version of the First & Second Editions of "Alcoholics Anonymous". It’s an engaging and inspiring word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and personal stories, including more than 50 original stories that were left out of the 3rd and 4th editions. If you never read the 1st or 2nd Editions, these amazing stories will be brand new to you. The Big Book Podcast is read by Howard L. who receives no compensation for this vital service work.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me.

To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

[Disclaimer: In accordance with A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.]