Recently, when our SA regional representative joined one of my regular face-to-face meetings, I shared how important my morning sobriety renewal phone meeting calls have been for my recovery. He was amazed at how many brothers and sisters attend these meetings every day and asked me a lot of questions about what we cover in the meetings and what I personally get out of them. His last question was the topper: “Will you make a commitment to me to write to ESSAY and let them know how meaningful these daily calls are to you?”

I should learn not to open my big mouth! Despite my apprehension, I made the commitment, and that is what motivates me to write today. I have learned in this program that making and keeping commitments is a very important part of my recovery.

I was in my disease for the better part of 40 years before I came to SA and qualified for 19 of the 20 questions in my newcomer meeting. I’m sure it would have been 20 out of 20 had I been out there in my disease much longer! I lost at least two important corporate jobs due to my acting out. I had destroyed one marriage and was well on my way to destroying my second marriage. I lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in the divorce in legal and other fees and have been estranged from my daughter for more than five years. She was 12 when her mother and I split and she is 17 today. I’m certain that my 19-year-old son suffers from one or more addictions, including ours. I came to SA a broken man who had most certainly hit his bottom.

Now I’ve been sober for a little over a year and my life has changed so dramatically that it’s hard to even imagine what my life was like in my disease. But I have not closed the door on the past. I keep my story fresh for newcomers and sponsees so that I can readily share my experience, strength, and hope.

When I gave my Step One after a couple of months in recovery, I was grateful for the feedback from several members in the room who had solid, long-term sobriety. While some encouraged me for my honesty and courage, others in the room warned that I had a “tough road” ahead, that I always needed to lead with my weakness, and that I should work the Steps fast and not worry about doing them “right” the first time. I was told that I had to go beyond attending meetings for support and to work hard and stay with the program. I mentioned the abstinence commitment I’d made with my wife, and they said that was a good thing. The first period of abstinence in our marriage was more than eight months. We’ve had a few more 30- or 60-day periods since then. I was also told that Step Nine would be “big” for me—and that was no joke!

So what does this all have to do with phone meetings?

Well, almost immediately after completing my Step One, I had to travel on a long-term basis to another city where I had the privilege of attending some form of “S” meeting every day, and sometimes multiple times a day. I got a new sponsor and worked the Steps with him every day for about a four-month period. I completed all Twelve Steps. God was working in my life and I took to heart all of the suggestions from my Step One meeting.

But when I returned home, I could not get to more than two or three face-to-face meetings per week. What was I to do to keep working my program hard? I don’t remember how I first learned of the phone meetings (although it was probably mentioned in one of my face-to-face meetings), but I called in one day and just listened and thought, “Wow, this could work for me!”

I discovered that there were morning sobriety renewal calls, Step study meetings, “White Book” meetings, and just general sharing meetings—and almost 50 per week! At first, I called in once or twice just to listen. It was a bit scary and intimidating at first, but I gradually found the courage to speak up and contribute. I’ve since taken a service position on the 8:30 a.m. Eastern morning sobriety renewal call (5:30 a.m. my time) and participate at least five days every week in that phone meeting. While I was writing this story, I noticed that there was a phone meeting going on (the morning sobriety call for the Asia Pacific region), and I called to listen while writing. I also attend one or two other book-study or sharing phone meetings to supplement the two or three face-to-face meetings I attend every week.

Some of my brothers in the program have asked, “How do you get up so early to do those phone meetings?” My response is almost a reflex: “Well, I used to get up and act out at 5:00 a.m. when my family was asleep. Now I get up, do my morning meditation, prayer, and conversation with my Higher Power, and then get on a 45-minute renewal call before starting my day and serving my family breakfast!” There is no question that having these phone meetings every day, multiple times per day, allows me to work my program very hard and, as a close friend in the program likes to say, keeps me “frosty in recovery.”

Phone meetings really work, and they are an important part of my recovery. Have you tried one yet? If not, check out the schedule, and give us a call. You’ll be glad you did. Keep coming back!