Teaching Them How to Fish: Dave S. on Service and Emotional Sobriety скачать в хорошем качестве

Teaching Them How to Fish: Dave S. on Service and Emotional Sobriety

This is a powerful conversation about emotional sobriety, the healing power of service, and what happens when we finally become willing to learn who we are. Dave S. has been sober since January 1, 1987, but his recovery journey didn’t begin with confidence or clarity. It began with loneliness, despair, and a deep belief that alcohol was the solution. Growing up in Connecticut as the son of an alcoholic, Dave learned early how to stay busy so he wouldn’t have to feel. Bullied, isolated, and emotionally overwhelmed, his first drink as a teenager felt like relief. That sense of ease followed him into the Navy, marriage, and adulthood, but the loneliness never left. Jobs were lost, relationships unraveled, and eventually his first wife told him she didn’t want to be married to a drunk. Dave’s turning point came in a bar, glass raised, when he looked up and said, “God, if this is all there is, I don’t want it anymore.” What followed was an awakening that sobriety alone wasn’t enough. He lacked emotional sobriety and the tools to live life on life’s terms. His early recovery began in Al-Anon and Adult Children of Alcoholics meetings, until a “little old lady” lovingly told him he was in the wrong rooms. That nudge led Dave to Alcoholics Anonymous, where everything changed. He found a sponsor, a community, a future wife, and people who showed him how to grow up emotionally, not just stop drinking. Service became the foundation of his sobriety. From making coffee to chairing meetings to co-chairing the New England Conference of Young People, Dave learned that service is not about status, but about involvement. Today, he serves as District Chair for Corrections, bringing hope into prisons and jails and helping people who feel forgotten find a way forward. Dave remains teachable, grounded, and deeply committed to helping others learn how to live. As he puts it, recovery isn’t about giving fish, it’s about teaching people how to fish. 🌟 For daily encouragement, visit Daily Ponderables (https://dailyponderables.com/) — your source for inspiration 365 days a year. The Cup of Joe Show explores the journey of recovery from alcohol and drug addiction—one story, one conversation, and one step at a time. New Episode Every Thursday at Noon.