Imagine you’ve been sober for a while and move to a new country. You don’t speak the language and the nearest English-speaking AA meetings are an hour and a half away. How would that affect your sobriety and serenity in your new digs? My guest on today’s show, Lisa F., faced that uncomfortable situation when she moved from the U.S. to Sicily in 2020. Sober nearly 15 years at the time, Lisa faced the loss of her daily meetings and in-person fellowship she had enjoyed in New York City for so many years. Though Zoom offered remote meetings, Lisa knew that the quality of her sober life in southern Italy would be inextricably linked to her face-to-face involvement in the Program.  She had learned this the hard way when she first relapsed after her initial run at sobriety, a period marked by her declining commitment to and interest in AA. By the time Lisa made it back to AA in 2004, her life was a shambles and ready for change. Knowledge from her earlier stint in Alcoholics Anonymous proved of little benefit until she got down to causes and conditions. With the help of a dedicated sponsor, Lisa immersed herself in a Program replete with daily meetings, prayer and meditation, sponsorship of other women, and ceaseless service work. She has used the experience gained from that well-worked Program to help build a robust English-speaking AA community with meetings in Sicily.

Lisa’s story covers a lot of ground, but will inspire those who face the same kind of challenges she did. As a cautionary tale, it speaks clearly to the misnomer Lisa used for years prior to her relapse when she told others that she didn’t drink because she used to be in AA. The futility of that idea comes through loud and clear. There’s much more to enjoy in the next 60 minutes of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Lisa F.

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.

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.]