Marty S. – Sober 6 Years

11/24/21 • 70 min

Marty's rapid journey to the bottom included multiple relapses and a suicide attempt. The illusion that self-will could keep him sober dogged his every step as he suffered the ravages of worsening alcoholism. That he even got sober at all was an amazement to those of us who got to know him along the way. As one of the more colorful people I know in Alcoholics Anonymous, Marty and I attend many of the same meetings each week, so we’ve gotten to know each other quite well over the past nine years. Unfortunately, those years included a relapse after 10 months, then another relapse after 14 months of sobriety. It was after his last slip, however, which landed him in a New York City hospital after a failed suicide attempt, that Marty finally embraced the Program and honestly got to work on sobriety. That was over six years ago and he’s been sober since. Frankly, Marty’s first couple of forays in AA were noticed by many of us as well-intentioned but half-hearted attempts to subserve the Program with his own intellect and self-will for staying sober. It obviously didn’t work. We were all familiar with his well-worn approach of just showing up at meetings, but not doing the actual work. So, with no real investment in his own recovery or spiritual condition, but still trying to run the show, it’s not surprising he slipped early on. But the damage he’d done to his family, friendships, and career along the way finally caught up with him. So did the notion of checking out. By God’s grace, Marty was given a second, or should I say, last chance to build a sober life. Today, Marty is firmly anchored in the center of AA by virtue of his continual meeting attendance, close relationship with his sponsor, daily meditation and prayer, and lots of service work with sponsees. His commitment to long-term sobriety is reflected in his Program, as is the ready acknowledgement that one drink could end it all. And while his story on today’s AA Recovery Interviews podcast is as entertaining as ever, it’s underlying message of hope for those who may be struggling is both immediate and vital for all to hear. This is the 53rd episode of the AA Recovery Interviews series with many, many more to come. But for now, tune into the next hour and enjoy my interview with my good friend and AA brother, Marty S.

Previous Episode

Kristy M. – Sober 3 Years

Kristy's exceptional story is one of early addiction evolving into a 5-year struggle with alcoholism in her 30’s. Though she spent only a couple of years in that quagmire before she found AA, her descent to the bottom was both swift and severe. Trying to justify, then hide her alcoholism from her husband, kids, and employer only revealed to them how much worse Kristy’s drinking had actually become. By the time she finally ran out of excuses and began a vigorous AA program in 2018, she was physically and mentally depleted. Getting a sponsor, working the steps, and attending daily meetings drew her towards the center of the Program That early work portended two crises in her early sobriety that pulled her from the center to the outskirts of AA. First, her husband suffered a major stroke and she became his primary caregiver. Fortunately, the time she invested in meeting and getting to know others in the Program was clearly realized when her newfound AA friends gathered around to help pull her through. Then in early 2020, Kristy was diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer which left her without use of her legs. Complicating the already horrendous situation was a pandemic that prevented Kristy from being able to have visitors during the four months she was in the hospital undergoing intensive cancer treatment. Fortunately, she was able to connect with her home groups via Zoom. All of her fellow AAs were able to support her on a daily basis with our own experience, strength, and hope. Today, with 31⁄2 years of sobriety, Kristy is on the mend, learning how to live life without the use of her legs. To be sure, her tragedies during early sobriety, and staying sober through them are informative, valuable, and inspirational to those she touches. Zoom had a bad day during my interview with Kristy, so her audio is less than stellar. But her message of hope, perseverance, and commitment comes through loud and clear. So pull up a seat for the next 60 minutes and listen to inspirational words of my AA sister on today’s AA Recovery Interviews podcast, Kristy M.

Next Episode

Ray O. – Sober 12 Years

Ray’s difficult road to sobriety was paved with many failed attempts to get sober over the years. Each attempt was thwarted by the belief that his situation was somehow different than the people he met in 6 different treatment centers and sporadic AA meetings. The similarities of his loneliness and wanting to fit in were eclipsed by the differences he saw in his social standing and material advantages he enjoyed via his family of wealth and privilege. Each alcoholic debacle he encountered over the years, such as totaling 3 new BMWs and facing multiple DUI charges, was met by his parents’ earnest, yet enabling, efforts to bail him out of trouble. After each extrication, Ray’s half-hearted commitments to sobriety were accompanied by fabulous business opportunities that were viewed by all as some kind of antidote to his worsening alcoholism. Though he did quit drinking, he continued to use marijuana and his behavior didn’t change at all. The resulting downward slide, unaided by family help in the end, brought Ray both business ruin and ruptures in all of his relationships. He finally came back to AA. Though he encountered a few more slips along the way, he got a sponsor, worked the steps, and was ultimately able to claim his last sobriety date in 2009. The gifts of sobriety have been many for Ray over the years and, most importantly, they’ve been gifts of similarity shared with his fellows in the Program. Instructive, too, have been the severe challenges he has faced, including his battle with a form of lymphoma that many people don’t survive. Through it all, Ray has developed a deep love for the Program and an unwavering commitment to service work. Especially during the Covid pandemic, when his co-morbidities made it impossible for live meetings, he has been instrumental in setting up and managing a number of Zoom AA meetings around the country. Thankfully, his is the first face of recovery that many new AA members encounter when they log onto Zoom for their first meeting. I’m grateful to have Ray in my life and appreciate all he does for our AA community. I think you’ll find his story to be both encouraging and illustrative. So settle in for the next hour or so while you enjoy the inspiring words of my good friend and AA brother, Ray O. 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.]