Celebrating 36 years of sobriety on the day of this interview, my guest Audie M. recorded this episode of AA Recovery Interviews during some free time between meetings at a men’s AA retreat.  Audie’s proclivity for drinking was influenced by his father’s alcoholism and his mother’s helplessness dealing with it. Audie took up the family gauntlet and became a regular drinker in his teens and early 20s. His growing use of alcohol fed the disease until it was in hot pursuit of his psyche. Like many of us who were functional alcoholics, Audie held the disease at bay while he managed to sustain a job and marriage. But soon, crack cocaine entered the picture. In short order, the dual addictions of booze and crack begam ripping his life apart. By the time he had his moment of clarity, he was teetering on precipice. Providentially, it was rehab followed by AA that pulled him back from the edge. Early and constant work in the Program resulted in Audie’s long-term sobriety making him dedicated to the Steps and the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Audie’s calm demeanor displays the gratitude and humility of a strong member of AA. His experience will be both helpful and encouraging to those in every stage of sobriety.  So please enjoy listening for the next sixty eight minutes to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA brother, Audie M.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”. This is the word-for-word, cover-to-cover reading of the First Edition of the Big Book, published in 1939. It’s a comfortable, meaningful, and engaging way to listen to the Big Book anytime, anyplace. Have a free listen at Audible, i-Tunes, or Amazon.

 I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, Lost Stories of the Big Book, 30 Original Stories Missing from the 3rd and 4th Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s an engaging audiobook I narrated to bring these stories to life for AA members who’ve never seen them. These timeless testimonials were originally cut to make room for newer stories in the 3rd and 4th Editions. But their vitally important messages of hope are as meaningful today as when they were first published. Many listeners will hear these stories for the first time. Lost Stories of the Big Book is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. It’s also available as a Kindle book and in Paperback from Amazon if you’d like to read along with the audio.

[Disclaimer: AA Recovery Interviews podcast strictly adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and all General Service Office guidelines for safe-guarding anonymity on-line. I pay all podcast production costs. AA Recovery Interviews and my guests do not speak for or represent AA at-large. This podcast is simply my way of giving back to AA that which has been so freely given to me. – Howard L.]