Doug's story begins with a childhood during which he enjoyed all the opportunities to succeed in life. Unfortunately, a learning disability, combined with a short stature made for an academic struggle in school and a struggle with bullies after school. Feeling left out and disregarded by his peers, Doug found alcohol in his early teens and a new way to cope with life opened up. Hanging with like-minded friends in high school and college, Doug’s drinking escalated, as did the negative consequences of his increasingly frequent binges. In the midst of his functional alcoholism, he managed to sustain marriage and career into his late twenties when the wheels started to come off. Faced with the inevitable misery and pain that accompanies every alcoholic’s demise, life got bad enough that, by age 28, Doug finally put down the drink and came into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I’ve had the opportunity to attend many meetings with Doug during his 12 years of sobriety and can personally attest to the hard work and commitment he has invested in the Program.  From regular attendance at meetings to a wide variety of service work to continuous commitment to his family and friends, Doug has clearly demonstrated a Program in action. Listeners will surely identify with many parts of his story and glean valuable insights into living a sober life with purpose and integrity.

So please enjoy the next hour and five minutes with my friend and AA brother, Doug W.

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 Paperbackfrom 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 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.]