RRP 140 — Markie B / Safe Enough to Keep Coming Back

A little trust, a calm voice, and the courage to care for yourself.

What makes a meeting feel safe enough to try again?

Markie ran out of that first AA meeting as quickly as he arrived. But he came back. He listened to other people's stories and began hearing his own in them. We're so grateful he joined us to share more than the ten-minute meeting version.

He grew up around addiction and learned early to get away from what he was feeling. In this conversation, Markie talks honestly about childhood trauma, drinking, and the relationships he carried into adulthood. We also hear what happened when he searched for gay AA meetings in Portland and found Lunch Bunch.

Getting sober didn't mean keeping everything the way it was. Markie began noticing red flags, caring about himself, and setting boundaries. He had been trying to save his marriage.

That moment stayed with Julie. You'll hear her stop and tell Markie how much she loves what he just said.

There's a sponsor whose calm voice offered something Markie wanted after years of chaos. There's also a hard conversation about cannabis and what it meant to be honest with himself. We'll let Markie tell you what happened next.

Markie has kept showing up for meetings, even from a hospital bed after surgery. He talks about therapy, returning to ACA, and learning boundaries that still feel frightening. Recovery hasn't meant avoiding every hard thing. He's learning to listen, ask for help, and care for himself through it.

If you're new to recovery, or still wondering whether you could feel at home in a meeting, we hope you'll listen. Thank you, Markie, for trusting us with your story.

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