Lyle T – Clovis CA
Lyle T – Clovis CA

MD Tapes Archive Library

AM Fellowship of AA – Sunnyvale CA

HonestInspiringInformativeAuthenticHopeful

55:43•3 Mar 2020

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From Chaos to Clovis: Lyle’s Long Road Back to AA

Episode Overview

Alcoholism is described as a progressive illness that keeps getting worse, even if life appears better on the surface for a time.
Half‑measures in the steps and ignoring a sponsor’s suggestions can lead back to drinking, regardless of how much sober time someone has.
Emotional pain, rage and depression in sobriety often point to unfinished step work, especially around inventory and making amends.
Daily basics such as prayer, meditation and accountability to a sponsor are presented as essential for long‑term sobriety.
AA fellowship and service – watching others grow and staying involved – are shown as key to a fulfilling, alcohol‑free life.

“Today I live the kind of life that I used to always dream about… and for the most part, I’m comfortable in my own skin, and that’s the biggest gift of all.”

What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This archive talk from the AM Fellowship of AA in Sunnyvale, California, features Lyle from Clovis sharing a raw, funny and very human account of his life before and after alcohol.

Lyle traces his story from a chaotic childhood in an alcoholic household, constantly moving and learning to be a loner, through to his first blackout drunk at 13 when, as he puts it, **"I drank for the effect of alcohol. I drank so I wouldn't have to feel."** You’ll hear how early drinking felt like the answer, even when it ended with him passed out and covered in vomit.

He walks through the progression of his addiction, failed relationships, and near-misses with the law, including wild nights racing around Los Angeles and a 4th of July incident involving a rifle and terrified children that finally made him see just how far he’d slipped. His friend Paul, now his "Eskimo", explains alcoholism as a progressive illness and introduces him to AA, planting the seed that eventually saves his life.

Lyle is honest about relapse, half-measures, and the danger of thinking "you’re not really an alcoholic" after some sober time. He shares how skipping meetings, ignoring his sponsor, and doing things "Lyle’s way" led him back to the bar more than once, and how emotional bottoms in sobriety can be just as painful as the drinking days. Yet there’s plenty of hope and humour here too.

From Harley rides and surfing to rock climbing and building a family in Clovis, he talks about the simple gift of feeling "comfortable in my own skin" and the joy of seeing others in AA grow and change. If you’ve ever wondered whether long-term sobriety still needs daily work, this story asks a simple question: are you really doing the basics, or just sitting in the room?

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