460- Cecil R - Follow Directions

460- Cecil R - Follow Directions

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? In this Texas-based conversation, you’ll hear how Cecil Rubio from Buda, Texas shares a long, bumpy road through alcoholism, legal trouble, and deep loss, and how following directions in Alcoholics Anonymous became his lifeline. The chat, hosted by John M, has a laid-back, story-telling feel, with plenty of humour about gas stations, vegan food and Texas quirks before it settles into Cecil’s raw account.

Cecil describes being "pretty much alcoholic from the get‑go," blacking out at 15, racking up DWIs from the 1970s onward, and using repeated treatment stays as a way to "get the heat off" rather than to change. He admits he struggled for years with what he calls a lifelong difficulty in following written instructions – including the AA programme.

A key turning point is his work with Mac, a counsellor who simply had him open the Big Book: "Whatever the problem was that I was having for the day, he would tell me to open the book up to such and such a page. We would find the problem and shortly thereafter find the solution." That practical, page-by-page guidance, plus sponsorship and regular meetings, gradually shifted Cecil from defiance to willingness.

The episode becomes intensely emotional as Cecil recounts helping his father repair an ultralight aircraft: "We flew, we crashed, and he died." He talks openly about the anger and spiritual confusion that followed, and how sponsorship, conferences, and service – especially being pushed to sponsor others – slowly rebuilt his faith and his life.

You’ll also hear about the dangers of wearing a "sheriff’s badge" in meetings, the importance of AA traditions, and how Cecil and his wife Marty now live a family life shaped by recovery and inclusion. If you’re wrestling with instructions, sponsors, or old ideas about God, this story might make you ask: whose directions are you really willing to follow today?