Sarah’s journey from the bleakness of active alcoholism to the hopefulness of sobriety has been fraught with challenges that lots of alcoholics frankly don’t survive. When she started drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana during her early teenage years, she easily fit in with those around her who were similarly engaged. She excelled in both high school and college while drinking and using, rapidly becoming a functional alcoholic who drank and blacked out often. But as her motivation for drinking morphed from social enjoyment to isolated self-medication, Sarah’s trip to the depths of alcoholism was gaining speed. Getting pregnant during her senior year in college yielded a baby and a short-lived marriage, both of which got in the way of her drinking and drug use. Though ashamed of her somewhat neglectful care of her baby, in deference to getting drunk, Sarah found herself facing a divorce decree that threatened her entitlement of raising her child. With her ex getting primary custody of their child, Sarah did not stop drinking or using during her split-custody time with her son. Nor did she quit when the court ordered her to do so. Family pleas also landed on Sarah’s deaf ears. Finally, by the time her son was 8 years old, Sarah had had enough and her moment of clarity came amidst a disheartening outlook for her future. She entered AA in 2014 and has been sober since.

The rest of Sarah’s story is one of hard work in AA, lead by a good sponsor who guided her through the steps and helped her position herself in the middle of the Program. Sponsorship of other women and a variety of service work, combined with a strong spiritual connection allowed her to build a healthy relationship with her son. It also sustained a good working relationship with her ex-husband who, incidentally, is also in the Program. As you listen to Sarah’s story, I think you’ll find similarities with which to identify. So whether you’re driving, walking the dog, exercising, or multi-tasking in any sober endeavor, please enjoy the next hour with my good friend and AA sister, Sarah B.   

 

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

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

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

[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.]