The War Was Over. I Lost. Thank God. - AA Speaker - Rick M.
The War Was Over. I Lost. Thank God. - AA Speaker - Rick M.  
Podcast: Sober Sunrise - AA Speaker Podcast
Published On: Sat Aug 01 2026
Description: Rick reached Alcoholics Anonymous from a cable-equipped tent beside the Russian River, where even the town drunks had begun looking at him with pity, and discovered that losing the war was how he finally got his life back. ☀️ Sober Sunrise App Listen to Sober Sunrise AA speaker talks anytime, track your sober time, take a daily pledge, and keep recovery support close throughout the day. 📱 https://sober-sunrise.com/app If you enjoy the app or find it useful in your recovery, a quick rating or review on the App Store would mean a lot and helps more people find Sober Sunrise. ☀️ Sober Sunrise Episode Archive Hundreds of AA speaker tapes and recovery stories: https://sober-sunrise.com/episodes 🧡 Sober Sunrise Merch https://sober-sunrise.com/merch 🌴 Sober Sunrise Newsletter https://sober-sunrise.com/newsletter Rick grew up on a small farm in Fortuna, California, surrounded by drinking, family conflict, tremendous freedom, and a determination to grow up and escape as quickly as possible. Drinking and using gradually carried him through school trouble, bartending in the Russian River area, damaged relationships, police encounters, repeated upheaval, and a life in which cars, jobs, homes, and partners disappeared in a familiar cycle. By 1994, he was living in an elaborate tent at Johnson’s Beach with cable television, trying to maintain a job while even the local drinkers began regarding him with pity. A simple observation from someone close to him finally reached a place that years of warnings could not, and Rick asked to attend an AA meeting that night. Treatment counselors told his group of 18 that perhaps one person would make it, so Rick committed himself to meetings, service, sponsorship, fellowship, and a slow paragraph-by-paragraph study of the Big Book. The Steps helped him clean up old harm, reconnect with his family, build a loving long-term partnership, and exchange bitterness for a life he genuinely enjoys. Rick is equally honest that sobriety does not make every day inspirational or his behavior perfect; sometimes the spiritual victory is recognizing a broken filter, making the correction, and remembering that Alcoholics Anonymous asks for progress while insisting that life should still be enjoyed. Rick M. from Santa Rosa, CA speaking at River City Roundup - November 10th 2002 Music: Deep by KaizanBlu