Ray Sponsored me for 11 years in Miami. Met Ray In 1995 I have been sober since 25 five years later I still have all of our step work we did together. I thank god from the bottom of my heart that he was there for me and help me creat the fellowship of the spirit.
I wish you every blessing and I pray for my sobriety. In AUSTRALIA, it’s not unified and I’m terrified. I’m not new, I’m lost. There’s no sponsorship. I pray
just live by the big book and don't worry what everyone else is doing (or what you think they are doing/not doing). it's a weight off the shoulders when you live by the book and can let everyone else carry on following their conscience or whatever it is
I cannot explain how grateful I am for having AA in my life. "We don't feel well from the moment we are born". In my own words, I did not feel well from the moment I was born until I picked up my first drink. Then, short-lived, I felt well. Only after some years did alcohol "betray me:. I lost everything worthwhile in life. Which in my case, specifically, was LIFE WORTH LIVING AND MY FREEDOM OF CHOICE. I felt so sad, so impotent, so trapped, I did not have hope it would get better. All the visible doors had been shut. I considered if maybe I could be better off dead but I think that the notion that my family would have to suffer seemed unfair, not considering that my family was currently suffering as well. I was finished. I lived only to drink. My life had been reduced to how can I have the next drink. Also, I can relate so much to the matter of distorted perception. I tried to act in a way so people would like me. This meant pretending to be someone I was not and I would actually, partially, believe the act I was carrying out. Trying to evidence "wealth", "prestige", "power"... in my mind, maybe, just maybe, if I was wealthy enough, powerful enough, smart enough, attractive enough, then maybe, I would be accepted. Maybe that would make me feel well. Maybe, just maybe, if I have all these things, maybe I would like myself. And that feels like absolute shit. I had a God-sized hole. So, with all this distorted reality, not understanding anything but acting like I knew everything that was going on, my alcoholism was at its highest point. I drank only for oblivion. To feel nothing was my only goal. But not even that, towards my final months, was enough. I could not get rid of the emptiness. So, as Ray said, my day came and I took it. God gave me my day. Something clicked. All these strangers knew how I have been feeling all along. I was 21 years old. Here was the 60-year-old lady telling MY story including feelings, just with different settings and circumstances. Here was the 42-year-old guy from some part of the world saying MY story too. And all was true for almost every share I heard. The best suggestion I have heard in my time in AA was this: "Shut up and follow instructions". This is a nice suggestion. In reality, a fellow told me, after I still maintained the attitude that I knew everything and I was unteachable: "Who the fuck do you think you are. Look at where you are. Your life is shit. Put your feet on the ground and look at the reality. Shut up and follow instructions." And there I went. I have followed instructions until today. Tomorrow let's see. I have a sponsor, I go to meetings, I worked my steps and I know I can practice the steps more every day. I do service. I chair meetings and I have found a higher power of my own understanding that LOVES ME and I love him. I do not belong to any religion. It's just a God of my own understanding. It took me a while but I just kept going to meetings and eventually, slowly but surely, I got it, and what I "got" was just only the beginning of a journey with my higher power which continues to grow,. My life is beautiful. I truly love my life BECAUSE AA GAVE IT TO ME. Honestly, I can't believe I am sober. It got really rough at one point. So, if you got to this point of my very long text, I wish you all the love, miracles, acceptance, understanding, fellowship, care, guidance, support, laughs that AA and my fellows have given me and I hope, truly, that God allows me to do the same for another alcoholic. This is a deadly disease. There is a solution and there is a substitute to alcohol which is vastly greater. I thank God for my sobriety. THREE PERTINENT IDEAS: a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our lives b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism and c) that God could and would IF (IF) he were sought. God bless you!!!!!!
this guy is great, he sticks to his own story; he doesn't branch out like so many of the speakers on odumatology and AA speakers into the party line where they're telling everybody else how to stay sober and how many people they sponsor and how sponsorship is done and very regimented and brigade system like this guy just tells his story I like that that's really experienced strength and Hope you get off the circuit and you learn how real people stay sober not the AA celebrities
It may seem excessive that a person goes to 8 meetings a week. But since AA is a big family it makes sense that you have a listen and a smile with your family at least a few minutes per person every day. That would help strengthen the family.bond
In my exprience, an AA meeting is 1 hour of my time a day, and AA gave me my family. I put my sobriety first because anything I put over my sobriety I lose it. AA comes first in myself so everything else becomes first class. So it only makes sense to my to go to meetings, have a sponsor/talk to my sponsor and try to be of service to other alcoholics as other alcoholics did with me. My sorbiety and my AA program are everything for me because it has given me a life BEYOND my wildest dreams!
@@ricardoa.ramosb.1891 Thank you so much for keeping this alive. It is so beautiful, so real and so needed by so many. Blessings to you and everyone else for a God centered 12 &12 Big Book sane, sober,, serene and scrumptious life..
Great speaker, me and a friend listened to this man speak and so much related to parts of the story. Meetings are closed due to the virus and this was are meeting tonight .
Thanks so much kiriana. My friends in the program here want me to do the online meetings, I had a couple of members here the other night and it wasn't worth going on with it. I been listening to some great meetings on TH-cam and talking to my sponsor. Been sober quite a spell .. I'm a long timer .anyway God bless.
"And to this moment my love, my admiration, and my affection for the very, very dry martini is surely the greatest case of unrequited love the world has ever seen."
We are not a glum lot so let's see... Ms. Jones is a kindergarten teacher and she asks her students to say what they want to be when they grow up. So little Timmy says: I want to turn off fires, I want to be a city hero, I want to be a FIREFIGHTER. Everyone claps. Next, little Bobby says: I want to heal people, I want to make families happy, I want to become a DOCTOR. Everyone claps. So, next comes little Ricky and says: I want to drink every day and all day, destroy everything worth while in life and then find God, I want to be an ALCOHOLIC,
Ray,followed you for YEARS!! in Miami.jeff would get his van and load up a GOOD O group Of drunks.it was a adventure.In getting WELL!! Good memories. Luv you Ray.
Ray Sponsored me for 11 years in Miami. Met Ray In 1995 I have been sober since 25 five years later I still have all of our step work we did together. I thank god from the bottom of my heart that he was there for me and help me creat the fellowship of the spirit.
I wish you every blessing and I pray for my sobriety. In AUSTRALIA, it’s not unified and I’m terrified. I’m not new, I’m lost. There’s no sponsorship. I pray
Don’t drink go to nettings and wait someone will contact you!🤙
@@henryhuertas7912 I’ve taken the action joined a BB group. 😊
Beautiful Jose 🤩 blessed 😇
just live by the big book and don't worry what everyone else is doing (or what you think they are doing/not doing). it's a weight off the shoulders when you live by the book and can let everyone else carry on following their conscience or whatever it is
To anyone reading this, I wish you grace and strength in your journey. Thank you for sharing, Ray O., you remind me of Rodney Dangerfield.
Likewise ❣️
Thant you. Funny1
I was born on his 14th sober birthday.
I love knowing he was celebrating that day.
I cannot explain how grateful I am for having AA in my life. "We don't feel well from the moment we are born". In my own words, I did not feel well from the moment I was born until I picked up my first drink. Then, short-lived, I felt well. Only after some years did alcohol "betray me:. I lost everything worthwhile in life. Which in my case, specifically, was LIFE WORTH LIVING AND MY FREEDOM OF CHOICE. I felt so sad, so impotent, so trapped, I did not have hope it would get better. All the visible doors had been shut. I considered if maybe I could be better off dead but I think that the notion that my family would have to suffer seemed unfair, not considering that my family was currently suffering as well. I was finished. I lived only to drink. My life had been reduced to how can I have the next drink. Also, I can relate so much to the matter of distorted perception. I tried to act in a way so people would like me. This meant pretending to be someone I was not and I would actually, partially, believe the act I was carrying out. Trying to evidence "wealth", "prestige", "power"... in my mind, maybe, just maybe, if I was wealthy enough, powerful enough, smart enough, attractive enough, then maybe, I would be accepted. Maybe that would make me feel well. Maybe, just maybe, if I have all these things, maybe I would like myself. And that feels like absolute shit. I had a God-sized hole. So, with all this distorted reality, not understanding anything but acting like I knew everything that was going on, my alcoholism was at its highest point. I drank only for oblivion. To feel nothing was my only goal. But not even that, towards my final months, was enough. I could not get rid of the emptiness. So, as Ray said, my day came and I took it. God gave me my day. Something clicked. All these strangers knew how I have been feeling all along. I was 21 years old. Here was the 60-year-old lady telling MY story including feelings, just with different settings and circumstances. Here was the 42-year-old guy from some part of the world saying MY story too. And all was true for almost every share I heard. The best suggestion I have heard in my time in AA was this: "Shut up and follow instructions". This is a nice suggestion. In reality, a fellow told me, after I still maintained the attitude that I knew everything and I was unteachable: "Who the fuck do you think you are. Look at where you are. Your life is shit. Put your feet on the ground and look at the reality. Shut up and follow instructions." And there I went. I have followed instructions until today. Tomorrow let's see. I have a sponsor, I go to meetings, I worked my steps and I know I can practice the steps more every day. I do service. I chair meetings and I have found a higher power of my own understanding that LOVES ME and I love him. I do not belong to any religion. It's just a God of my own understanding. It took me a while but I just kept going to meetings and eventually, slowly but surely, I got it, and what I "got" was just only the beginning of a journey with my higher power which continues to grow,. My life is beautiful. I truly love my life BECAUSE AA GAVE IT TO ME. Honestly, I can't believe I am sober. It got really rough at one point. So, if you got to this point of my very long text, I wish you all the love, miracles, acceptance, understanding, fellowship, care, guidance, support, laughs that AA and my fellows have given me and I hope, truly, that God allows me to do the same for another alcoholic. This is a deadly disease. There is a solution and there is a substitute to alcohol which is vastly greater. I thank God for my sobriety. THREE PERTINENT IDEAS: a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our lives b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism and c) that God could and would IF (IF) he were sought. God bless you!!!!!!
I sat next to Raymond O, at meetings for twenty years or so. Great Man. Helped me all the time.
Great speaker very funny
Do you have any proof
Thank you God for AA
this guy is great, he sticks to his own story; he doesn't branch out like so many of the speakers on odumatology and AA speakers into the party line where they're telling everybody else how to stay sober and how many people they sponsor and how sponsorship is done and very regimented and brigade system like this guy just tells his story I like that that's really experienced strength and Hope you get off the circuit and you learn how real people stay sober not the AA celebrities
Grateful that i knew Ray in the late 1990s, in Kure Beach, NC; went to many meetings with him & Keith L. & Mike W. So blessed am i....
You are a Breath of fresh air..Thank you for this Powerful message and being a Vessel of God..Trudging the Road of Happy Destiny.......
It may seem excessive that a person goes to 8 meetings a week. But since AA is a big family it makes sense that you have a listen and a smile with your family at least a few minutes per person every day. That would help strengthen the family.bond
In my exprience, an AA meeting is 1 hour of my time a day, and AA gave me my family. I put my sobriety first because anything I put over my sobriety I lose it. AA comes first in myself so everything else becomes first class. So it only makes sense to my to go to meetings, have a sponsor/talk to my sponsor and try to be of service to other alcoholics as other alcoholics did with me. My sorbiety and my AA program are everything for me because it has given me a life BEYOND my wildest dreams!
@@ricardoa.ramosb.1891 Thank you so much for keeping this alive. It is so beautiful, so real and so needed by so many.
Blessings to you and everyone else for a God centered 12 &12 Big Book sane, sober,, serene and scrumptious life..
Amazing share, he nails it at about 34 minutes in felt it to my core. Don’t do yourself a disservice by missing the whole talk from beginning.
Sounds exactly like my friend from New York who is in my home group. Definitely saving this one to my playlist
What a story.
What a program.
This is recovery.
Great speaker, me and a friend listened to this man speak and so much related to parts of the story. Meetings are closed due to the virus and this was are meeting tonight .
Thanks so much kiriana. My friends in the program here want me to do the online meetings, I had a couple of members here the other night and it wasn't worth going on with it. I been listening to some great meetings on TH-cam and talking to my sponsor. Been sober quite a spell .. I'm a long timer .anyway God bless.
Crazy that this post is from 6 months ago and most are still closed out here for me :/
what kind of a government deems AA non essential
@@glenndoty739 Fellow psychopaths.
"And to this moment my love, my admiration, and my affection for the very, very dry martini is surely the greatest case of unrequited love the world has ever seen."
I love Ray O'Keefe his tapes helped me from the first ti.e i heard him in 1986
My favorite speaker always brings this gentleman up in his talks. Now I can see why! Thanks for posting!
One of best speakers I have ever heard......💯🤓
Best talk I’ve heard in a long time. So great
Hooked until the end
I really enjoyed this one. Thank you Ray 🙏
Pain: one of the most difficult teachers.
I hear you, uncomfortable, a test of faith
Thank you
Words to live by
What a great story!
We are not a glum lot so let's see... Ms. Jones is a kindergarten teacher and she asks her students to say what they want to be when they grow up. So little Timmy says: I want to turn off fires, I want to be a city hero, I want to be a FIREFIGHTER. Everyone claps. Next, little Bobby says: I want to heal people, I want to make families happy, I want to become a DOCTOR. Everyone claps. So, next comes little Ricky and says: I want to drink every day and all day, destroy everything worth while in life and then find God, I want to be an ALCOHOLIC,
Got a lot out of this, thanks Ray.
This guy rocks
Awesome Share!!
Jeumeulah
He's really good!
Wow so nice
Omg! I love this GUY! Fwding
Ray,followed you for YEARS!! in Miami.jeff would get his van and load up a GOOD O group
Of drunks.it was a adventure.In getting WELL!! Good memories.
Luv you Ray.
44:19 truest words I have ever heard
Ps, hoo the fuzz loves Q'all
His voice sounds like something from a cartoon.
It’s the “old people accent”
Hahahahaha..
Sorry, Ch oil laden I stipple ain't SON ET
Lov ya czsak
Ho how hoo didi e a
The problem with these circuit speakers are they are trying hard to be circuit speakers.
ATT TTA
Sounds like he’s not all THAT sober!!
Cynical, could you talk like this? I can answer that (and I've been a public speaker). Nope.
Sounds like you're in need if some inventory!!