I’m an alcoholic, and my name is Dottie Shore. Hi, Dottie. And I’m so grateful to be here. I wonder if you really know how awes- awesome it is to be asked to come and speak. For many years, people used to say, “For God’s sake, Dottie, shut up.” When you get sober and they pay you away to speak, now everything changes. I want to thank the committee for the privilege, and I, I’m not saying that to be polite. It is a deep honor and a privilege to me, and I’m always in awe of it that, uh, somebody wants to hear what I have to say. And I must tell you now that this loving lady over here is one of the finest hostesses I’ve ever had. She’s gone above and beyond the call of duty to treat me lovingly, and I thank her. Let’s give her a hand, shall we? Happy Mother’s Day, you mothers. And you fathers. That didn’t come out right, did it? I didn’t realize what I said. Oh, dear, I knew I’d do something like that.

You know, I sat up here on this, uh, platform, and I looked out there, and I saw that American flag, and I’m gonna ask all of you to stand up and look out that window and let’s salute the flag this morning. Look at it out there. Isn’t that gorgeous? Look at it. Remember. I pledge allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag. Of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you. Now, go ahead and just give the flag a hand. You know, we’re very fortunate to be sober. We’re very blessed to have Alcoholics Anonymous, and I think we’re very blessed to live in this country. You know, when you’ve been around the program a little while, and you hear the 12 Steps read over and over and over and the 12 Traditions read over and over, if you’re not careful, you’re gonna go someplace in your mind. Now, I’m not self-obsessed, you understand, but I’m usually thinking about me.

And one night several years ago, I realized that I had.. they’d read the 12 Steps, and I hadn’t heard wor- one word, and it kind of scared me. I thought, “Hey, dummy, that’s what got you sober.” So I made a vow that night that I would close my eyes, and I would listen. And if you love the program like I do, and the steps, you’re gonna read them with meaning, and maybe I’d get some new thin- new thoughts out of it. So the first night, I sat there and closed my eyes, and the leader said, “The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop stinking.” I thought that was very interesting. A few nights later, someone said, “We’ll now have Joe read the 12 Positions of Alcoholics Anonymous.” And then someone was to read, um, “Animosity is the spiritual foundation.” Please know I’m not making fun of anyone because the thing that I love is if they read it, and they go right over it and don’t realize they’ve even said it, and I’m sure I’ll say something today that I don’t really mean to.