Sober 25 years since 11/5/1992, a nurse by profession, naturally shy, she got sober while in an alcoholic marriage.
She was born in Germany but her parents divorced shortly after they moved back to Tampa. They moved north for her new step-father's work.
She left a less than ideal home life at age 15 into a drug world and, later, an abusive relationship she miraculously survived.
Her first time in AA was half-measures with the expected results. Her last white chip was followed by a sincere desire to work the steps.
She found it often difficult to find female sponsorship. The timing wasn't right or the needs failed to mesh.
She is now in a committed relationship with a man who has had serious health issues but some miraculous recoveries as well.
"I'd rather slow down and enjoy what's going on and do some spiritual work, too, than to just run around in an agitated frenzy."
She spends much of her talk in recovery and remembering those, now gone, who touched her life: Steve "Stumpy" T, Claude W and Robert S.
Claude W 2009 at Woodstock, GA
(40 min) (9.2 MB) (id#2059)