Polly P. – Steps 10-12 – Beyond the Magic of One Alcoholic Talking to Another – 2014

About This Speaker Tape

Polly maps out a life defined by the wreckage of alcoholism—specifically the trauma she inflicted on her children and the guilt that fueled her drinking. She describes the visceral memory of shaking her son by his curly hair and the isolation of being a military wife hiding her addiction. Her turning point came through the 'gift of desperation' and the guidance of a former Catholic priest who taught her to lean on his Higher Power until she found her own.

Polly emphasizes the 'magic' of one alcoholic talking to another, the necessity of jail commitments, and the grit required to maintain sobriety through service. She cuts through the idea of a perfect recovery, admitting to fits in business meetings and a lifelong struggle with depression, but finds her reprieve in the 'language of the heart' and the deep forgiveness of her children.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Polly presents her sponsee, Debra, with a 23-year chip.
• 2:30 Laughter: Polly jokes about Bob's 'disease of perception' regarding his own speaking ability.
• 5:15 Polly discusses the necessity of jail commitments and detox work to stay sober.
• 8:40 Step 12: Polly reads from Chapter 7 on the immunity from drinking found in intensive work with others.
• 12:10 Polly describes the 'magic' of witnessing a newcomer's spiritual awakening.
• 16:20 Laughter: The story of the flooded hotel toilet at 2:45 AM.
• 20:15 Raw account of child abuse and the guilt that drove her drinking.
• 24:30 Step 2: Polly's experience with her first sponsor, a former Catholic priest.
• 28:00 Discussion on the 'gift of desperation' and the urgency of working the steps quickly.
• 31:10 Step 4 & 5: Polly describes her 'four-column inventory' and her history of compulsive lying.
• 35:40 Polly reflects on the transformation of her relationship with her children and the depth of their forgiveness.
• 41:00 Service: The story of the prison girls escaping at the Texas State Convention.