That's Me! That's Me! episode 29 with Janet C.That's Me! That's Me! episode 29 with Janet C.
Recovery Radio Network
Janet C. reflects on 43 years in Alcoholics Anonymous, from arriving terrified at her first meetings to being held by a strong fellowship through her husband’s illness and death. The conversation blends grief, humour and Big Book wisdom to show how AA’s "design for living" can reshape a life.
56:14•28 Aug 2026
From Terrified Newcomer to Beloved Old‑Timer: Janet C.’s 43 Years in AA
Episode Overview
- Returning to a second AA meeting can hinge on simple actions like a friend saying, "I'll pick you up," especially when fear is intense.
- Long‑term sobriety may start slowly, with years of just sitting, listening and staying close to one trusted person.
- AA fellowship can provide extraordinary practical and emotional support during severe illness and bereavement.
- Laughter, shared trips and conferences with sober friends can loosen fear and create powerful spiritual relief.
- The Big Book and its "design for living" offer a common solution regardless of personal history or drinking pattern.
“"What seemed at first a flimsy reed has proved to be the loving and powerful hand of God, a design for living that really works."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation with Janet C. offers a raw, funny and deeply moving look at how Alcoholics Anonymous can hold someone through both early recovery and the hardest seasons of life. Janet, sober since April 1983, shares how she arrived at her first AA meeting in Cincinnati after a sudden "moment of truth" about her pot smoking, even though she wasn't drinking at the time.
Terrified of people and buried in denial, she describes her world then as "the size of a quarter" and recalls clinging to her AA friend Patty for two full years: even following her to the bathroom so she wouldn't have to talk to anyone else. You'll hear how that fearful woman became someone woven into the heart of her local fellowship.
Janet talks honestly about the "highs and lows" of recent life: the devastating loss of her husband Guy after 40 years together, and the extraordinary AA "love fest" that surrounded them with round‑the‑clock support during his illness. She also shares the quiet joy of planning an oceanside trip with her daughter, returning to the cold New England sea that gave her peace as a scared child.
There’s plenty of laughter too: Janet dropping two scoops of ice cream down her dress at a conference, singing loudly with friends outside, and reflecting on how much spiritual release there is in simply laughing together.
She ties it all back to AA’s foundation, reading from the Big Book about what "seemed at first a flimsy reed" becoming "the loving and powerful hand of God" and a "design for living that really works." If you’ve ever wondered whether you belong in a meeting, or what long‑term sobriety can actually look like, this candid conversation may have you thinking, "that’s me, that’s me." Whose hand could you reach for today?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.