Moving Beyond Ego Service to Principles in All Affairs — Lindsay L.

About This Speaker Tape

Lindsay L. shares a powerful journey of early addiction, starting from a childhood marked by neglect in an alcoholic home. By age eleven, she was already engaging in criminal behavior and drinking heavily at a local creek, eventually leading to a cycle of probation and running away from home at fourteen. She describes the desperation of wanting to stop but being unable to do so until a warrant for her arrest led her to juvenile hall at age fifteen.

Finding a solution through a dedicated sponsor and the Big Book, Lindsay emphasizes the importance of identifying the physical allergy and mental obsession of alcoholism. She speaks candidly about the pitfalls of 'ego work,' noting that while she became a highly active member of service and YPAW, she initially struggled to apply those principles to her home life and family relationships.

Her narrative culminates in the restoration of her family bonds and the unexpected blessing of adopting her nephew in 2022. She closes by reflecting on the necessity of a consistent relationship with a Higher Power to manage fear and vulnerability, reminding newcomers that the solution is available regardless of age or background.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction and reflections on the privilege of speaking at an AA meeting
• 4:48 Childhood experiences with neglect and the influence of her grandparents
• 7:30 Descriptions of childhood delinquency, stealing from lockers, and drinking at the creek
• 14:15 The cycle of attempting sobriety and the realization of powerlessness
• 18:40 Entering juvenile hall and the influence of H&I speakers
• 23:30 Working with a sponsor to identify the physical allergy and mental obsession
• 32:10 Discussing the gap between being a 'perfect AA member' and a good member of society
• 38:50 The process of adopting her nephew and navigating motherhood through the program
• 44:20 The importance of a Higher Power in managing fear and vulnerability