Peter M and Chris S – May 2022 Workshop – Part 3 of 7 – 2022 – Chris S.

About This Speaker Tape

Peter M. and Chris S. - May 2022 Workshop - 2022

A New York City subway ride staring at his shoes while a mother and her toddlers look at him like he's a bum marks the low point for Peter M. He describes a life of 'running partners' and double-parking in Manhattan once narrowly escaping a drive-by shooting from a dangerous ex-boyfriend of a girl he was dating. The wreckage extends to his own family: stealing from his brothers' tip money and attempting to break into his grandparents' home for jewelry while they were at Mass. Peter M. focuses on the grueling process of Step 9 arguing that sobriety alone isn't enough to 'pay the bill.' He details the slow reconstruction of trust with his father and brothers moving from a place of hatred to a relationship where they are now inseparable and the spiritual lightness that comes from cleaning up the wreckage of the past.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Opening warning about the 'post-lunch' slump and the need for knee bends to stay awake.
• 2:45 Discussion of the 'hideous four horsemen' and the trap of trying to recapture the first innocent drink.
• 5:10 Story of being a homeless 'bum' on the NYC subway and the humiliation of being watched by children.
• 8:20 The drive-by shooting in Manhattan and the subsequent conflict with his father.
• 12:40 The attempt to steal jewelry from his grandparents' home while they were at Mass.
• 16:10 Step 9: The distinction between 'remorseful mumbling' and actual amends.
• 21:30 The process of making direct amends to his father and the rejection of the money he offered.
• 26:40 Laughter: The 'Cinderella' car story and the struggle to regain his brother's trust.
• 31:10 Discussion of the 'wolves' in the rooms and the importance of protecting newcomers.
• 35:40 The parable of the man carrying a cross that was too short to reach paradise.
• 39:10 Final thoughts on the 'transformation' and the ability to 'travel light' in the world.