Chris S. – Sober 35 Years

After nearly 50 years in AA, Pat's sobriety correlates beautifully with his half-century of his active service and continuous participation in Alcoholics Anonymous. Raised in a dysfunctional family where alcoholism was rife, Pat found ease, comfort, and a sense of belonging by drinking and using drugs. Use, overuse, and abuse of these substances quickly progressed. Pat’s life devolved into the morass that is alcoholism. By his late teens, the disease was controlling every facet of his existence. Reaching AA at age 20, he dug into the Program with “old-timers” who taught him the very fundamentals of staying sober and helping other alcoholics achieve sobriety. Remarkably, Pat’ unwavering involvement in AA has impacted countless people over the years. He has served as a model for other who aspire to all the gifts God fulfills for those who work the Program. That he stayed sober through divorces, grave illnesses, and family-of-origin upheavals is proof-positive that help and support sought from AA fellows is there for all. In the process of staying sober, Pat has become expert at passing on what he has learned to others. In a humble and loving way, he has given back to AA that which he was given so freely over the decades. With 491⁄2 years of AA recovery, Pat’s story is a joy to listen to and packs a wallop of inspiration and hope for new-comers and old-timers alike. Frankly, no introduction I could do would pay sufficient tribute to the accomplishments that Pat has graciously gleaned from his on-going involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous. I believe you will find this episode of AA Recovery Interviews of great interest and I invite you to listen carefully for the next hour to the words of wisdom expressed by my good friend and AA brother, Pat C. If you’ve enjoyed my AA Recovery Interviews series and my Big Book podcast, 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. Check out my 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. Follow us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com [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 and no one receives financial gain from the show. 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.]