Burns B. AA Male

Burns Brady (0:00)

My name is Burns, and I'm an alcoholic.

Burns Brady (0:04)

This thing goes off while I'm talking, and if you can't hear me, let me know, or whatever needs to be done.

SPEAKER_3 (0:08)

You may not want to hear me, but if you do, just raise your hand.

Burns Brady (0:11)

I don't know if it's going to feed back or not, and I may have to figure out how to play with this thing for a while.

SPEAKER_3 (0:16)

Just don't touch it at all, huh?

Burns Brady (0:20)

I've done it already. Story of my life, I've been here 30 seconds and screwed it up.

Burns Brady (0:29)

I mean, you people really do know how to throw a party. You really do know how to throw a party.

SPEAKER_3 (0:48)

I'm not afraid of you.

SPEAKER_4 (0:51)

Obviously, it's not afraid of me either.

Burns Brady (0:54)

You people really do know how to throw a party. It's interesting, this sign behind me.

SPEAKER_3 (0:59)

Not as interesting as the speaker, but it's interesting as the sign behind me.

Burns Brady (1:03)

It says sobriety, S-O-B-I-E-T-Y, sobriety. The attitude of this conference is wonderful.

SPEAKER_3 (1:15)

And I think between, can you not hear me? They're waving over here. Now, can you hear me?

Burns Brady (1:24)

This sign says sobriety.

Burns Brady (1:27)

The attitude of this conference is wonderful.

Burns Brady (1:30)

And what it really tells me is what is almost a composite of AA. We don't have to get it perfect or to be just right.

SPEAKER_3 (1:45)

You know, I don't think it's any simpler than that.

Burns Brady (1:50)

We don't have to get it perfect or to be just right.

Burns Brady (1:52)

Malachy called me and asked me to come to speak. I really am appreciative to the committee that selected me to come. This is a conference that the attitude and the love has been so strong, and I'm just grateful to be here.

I've been fortunate to travel around the country quite a bit and speak.

SPEAKER_3 (2:15)

I've been at conferences where many of the other speakers had great stories to tell, and between the time they were talking and the time they left, I wouldn't have given two cents to have spent the rest of the, any more time with them. Fortunately, there are not many of those, but there are some.

Burns Brady (2:33)

The speakers at this conference thus far have really rung my bell, both from up here and from the time I've spent with them personally.

Burns Brady (2:42)

To listen to Scott and Kelly and to watch. See, I'm gray haired and 56 years old.

SPEAKER_3 (2:48)

I came in this program when I was 42

SPEAKER_5 (2:52)

I was 41, actually.

Burns Brady (2:54)

I have two children who are their age who have been in AA.

Burns Brady (2:57)

My daughter's been in AA for 11 years and she's 31 My son's been in AA for seven, he's 25

Burns Brady (3:02)

And they basically are that age. My daughter's story is much similar to Scott's story.

SPEAKER_3 (3:08)

And I'm so, I'm just...

SPEAKER_5 (3:11)

Can I tell you the joy that I feel at these young people with this kind of sobriety?

Burns Brady (3:16)

And the joy I felt listening to them talk, it's like watching a flower open.

SPEAKER_5 (3:22)

It's like watching, especially Kelly, last night was just struck with what is going on in her life. And I sat there saying, Annagel, Annagel, as the flower open.

Burns Brady (3:33)

And the awesomeness of spirituality is starting to surge through her body. And listen to Scott, working through some of the problems he's working through today.

SPEAKER_4 (3:39)

This man is 30 years old.

Burns Brady (3:40)

When I was 30 years old, I was trying to find the bathroom.

SPEAKER_5 (3:43)

You know? At that time, I had a college degree and a medical degree, and I was still trying to find the bathroom.

SPEAKER_3 (3:51)

And when I found it, I needed help to figure out what to do when I got there, you know?

Burns Brady (3:57)

David, in his talk, the simplicity of it.

SPEAKER_5 (4:02)

See, I used to, I consider that almost a naivete, and that was something I didn't really want to have.

Burns Brady (4:06)

I wanted to swagger, and if you didn't swagger, then you didn't have it. And knowing look on my face that I wanted to have, so you think I really knew what the heck was happening when I didn't have any clue what was happening. And to listen to that naivete and that beauty and that simplicity.