Jeff S. got sober in 1998 after years of alcoholism and addiction to crack cocaine. Coming from a tough upbringing, he started drinking as a teen. Jeff spent five years in the U.S. Army which he enjoyed mainly because it allowed him to drink with alacrity and few consequences. But the boozing followed Jeff out of the service into a series of dead-end jobs with few prospects for success. As a functional alcoholic he did find career in the building trade, but the disease still dogged his every step. After a failed marriage and other unadmitted problems caused by drinking, crack cocaine entered Jeff’s life. It quickly drained him financially, physically, and emotionally. By the time he reached AA, he was willing to do anything to restore his shredded life. And AA did just that. Jeff attended meetings, worked the steps, found a higher power, and helped others. It wasn’t long until he had the good things in life back. But somewhere along the way, Jeff began believing that he was running the show and didn't need active participation in the Program to stay sober. And though he remained dry for a considerable number of years, he was also bereft of the many gifts that AA bestows on those who truly invest their lives in the Program. Jeff slowly realized that his increasingly hollow life without alcohol and drugs was missing what he needed most: Connection with the Program, the fellowship and the sunlight of the spirit.

Since coming back into active participation in AA several years ago, the quality of Jeff’s life has improved immeasurably. He has become acutely aware of what sobriety without AA is really like. He shares this rare experience with the many people whose lives have been enriched by his presence in meetings and his service  to the fellowship.

For every gift of sobriety that Jeff passed up during his dry years, his reappearance and re-engagement in Alcoholics Anonymous has rapidly drawn him into the center of the herd. His cautionary tale of staying dry without AA is a story everyone should hear, especially those who think they can get sober in AA and then pull away into their own world without it. So please enjoy the next hour with my friend and AA brother, Jeff S.

If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series, have a listen to 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.

I also invite you to check out my latest audio book, “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.

[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.]