Raised in a middle-class family, with its share of alcoholism among its descendants, Jeff’s drinking took off in his late teens and early 20’s, in a self-made world of isolation from others. His sense of purposelessness and lack of direction fed feelings of low self-esteem. He found himself drinking alone and more than ever. His alcoholism soon teamed up with work addiction in a field that has little respect for such addictions, and would ultimately drain every hour he was willing to work. As things got worse, Jeff’s first marriage was falling apart. A final ultimatum from his wife and advice from a psychotherapist, convinced him of the severity of his alcoholism. He finally stopped drinking to try and save his marriage and went to AA.

Though the marriage ultimately collapsed, Jeff continued with AA’s suggested program of action and did what was recommended to build a successful life of recovery. He became a man of service to the AA community and eventually married a sober woman he met in the Fellowship. He has enjoyed a long-term marriage, along with its many gifts, including the opportunity to help raise his now teenaged grandson. I see Jeff in AA meetings all the time. He is a regular meeting-maker and has prioritized his sobriety above all. As a result, he continues to model the success of a good man in active sobriety.

As you listen to Jeff’s story, you’ll find the details not dissimilar to others told in this podcast series. But then, a strong, well-worked Program does include many of the same essential elements, that is, the basics of getting and staying sober that we learn from day one. As you listen to this episode of AA Recovery Interviews, I believe you’ll be greatly inspired by Jeff’s words and come away with yet more evidence that the Program really does work, if we work it. So lend us your ears for the next hour and please enjoy my fine old friend and AA brother, Jeff A.

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 cover-to-cover, word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and Personal Stories, many of which were left out of the Third and Fourth Editions. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to 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.]