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Telling On Ourselves
Vikki and Mark are joined by Ken to talk about unity in recovery, weaving in stories of resentment, inclusivity in meetings, and decades of sober experience. The conversation stays light, funny, and honest while showing how connection and community can support a life without alcohol.
44:57•28 Apr 2026
Unity, Resentments and Sourdough: Ken Joins the Sobriety Squad
Episode Overview
- Unity is described as essential to sobriety: people stay sober together or drink alone.
- Resentments can quietly ruin experiences, so recovery tools help stop others living rent-free in your head.
- AA unity means everyone is welcome, regardless of background, identity, or beliefs.
- Regular contact with a sponsor, even many calls in a crisis, can build trust and literally keep someone sober.
- Different voices and styles in meetings are valuable because each person connects with a different messenger.
“We were going to stay sober together or we were going to drink alone.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This chatty, laugh-filled episode of *Telling On Ourselves* brings Vikki and Mark together with special guest Ken D to talk about one big theme: unity in recovery. Ken kicks things off with a classic "first thought wrong" story from a concert, where a small seating squabble quickly turned into a full-blown resentment in his head.
As he puts it, he realised he was letting a stranger "live in my head" and rob him of an evening with his wife and a band he loved. That moment opens the door to a wider discussion on how easily anger can isolate you, and how recovery tools can bring you back to connection.
Mark sets the tone with the dictionary definition of unity, highlighting "a combination or ordering of parts into a complete or harmonious whole" and joking about how fun "harmonious whole" is to say.
From there, the three share real-life examples of what unity looks like in Alcoholics Anonymous: welcoming transvestites into a meeting without hesitation, accepting different personalities and opinions, and remembering that "we were going to stay sober together or we were going to drink alone." Ken reflects on 30 years in recovery and how AA’s first tradition and one simple idea — we don’t give up on anyone — have shaped his understanding of connection.
Vikki adds stories about sponsorship, including calling her sponsor 17 times in two hours and having every call answered, showing how unity can be both life-saving and deeply practical. You’ll hear plenty of gentle teasing, self-deprecating humour, and honest talk about ego, fear, missed texts, and even sourdough bread. If you’re craving a down-to-earth look at how unity actually plays out in sober life — messy, warm, and very human — this one’s worth your time.
How might unity change the way you approach your own recovery today?
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