At seventeen years sober, Charlie thought he already knew what AA had to offer - until a nighttime plane crash and studying the Big Book line by line showed him that he had been living on one side of a three-sided program.
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Charlie, sober since March 22, 1985, delivers a funny and direct AA talk about the physical allergy, mental obsession, and spiritual condition beneath his drinking. He remembers discovering alcohol at 16, blackouts, pawn shops, courtrooms, a relapse at ten and a half months, and the promises to his father that he sincerely meant but could not keep. The deeper turn comes years later: although Charlie was surrounded by AA meetings, friendships, and service, he realized he was expecting the benefits of the entire recovery triangle while living almost entirely on its fellowship side. After surviving a nighttime plane crash, confronting the dishonesty and self-will still operating in his life, and following his sponsor into work with other alcoholics, he began studying the Big Book sentence by sentence. What he found was a program he describes as 500 feet deep - one that rekindled his sobriety, transformed sponsorship into the bright spot of his life, and showed him that a spiritual awakening remains available no matter how long someone has already been around AA.
Charlie P. from Austin, TX speaking at the North Scottsdale Group in Scottsdale, AZ - November 10th 2007
Music: Deep by KaizanBlu