I Was Stupid Enough to Follow the Instructions - AA Speaker - Ray M.

Ray came in young, separate, and sure he was smarter than the room, then found out AA worked best when he was finally willing to follow directions. ☀️ Sober Sunrise Episode Archive More AA speaker tapes and recovery stories: https://sober-sunrise.com/episodes 🧡 Sober Sunrise Merch Shirts, mugs, and recovery-inspired gear: https://sober-sunrise.com/merch 🌴 Sober Sunrise Newsletter Weekly AA speaker picks, recovery reflections, and updates: https://sober-sunrise.com/newsletter Ray starts with a New Year’s resolution to try sobriety for one year, then admits he was amazed when he made it through the first day. Growing up around alcoholism, feeling apart from other people, dropping out young, and trying to escape through the same old patterns, he landed in AA unsure whether he belonged with the “real pros.” What changed was simple and uncomfortable: an old-timer helped him identify, a sponsor pushed him through the steps, he got on his knees without knowing what he believed, and service gave him a way to fit in. Years later, Ray is honest about slipping away from the basics and trying to return to the book, prayer, inventory, sponsorship, and the kind of 12-step work that keeps the program alive. Ray M. speaking at the regular weekly speaker meeting in Bryan, TX - 2007 Music: Deep by KaizanBlu