Publicly Speaking

I don't know what triggered this memory yesterday.  I feel kind of bad--I was sitting in church.  I wasn't bored or anything like that, it's just that something was said that pricked one of those long ago locked away times.  I began to think about my speech class in college.  I loved that class, and yet it was the one class that terrified me the most.  The thought of getting up in front of a large mass of people (let alone students) scared me to death.  Oh, the terror--as I imagined myself being booed off the stage.  What if they were to throw rotten fruit at me?  What if I was heckled?  Actually, I wasn't afraid of being heckled, I just wanted to use that word.  Heckled, it cracks me up a little.

Anyway, back to speaking publicly.  I think this was the class that turned this self-professed introvert into a little bit of an extrovert.  I found that the more speeches I gave, the more I wanted to give.  My professor was excellent.  She was interesting to listen to, she spoke clearly and she was also a fantastic listener, I wonder if that's why she taught on speaking in public?

We had 5 speeches to give that semester.  I can't remember the types or even the correct names--it's been too long ago.  However, I'll give it my best shot.  Let's see--we had one on a hobby or love of something, one on trying to sell an idea or convince others, one on pet peeves, and a couple of others.  This class was a real challenge for me.  You see, I didn't finish college until I hit my 40's.  Yep, I went back to school.  So, I always felt like I had something to prove, that I had to be just a little bit better at everything because of my age.  The students didn't make me feel that way, no, it was all me.  The kids were great.  I made awesome friends, some of whom I still keep in touch with.  And, because of my age, I also made friends with my professors, it seems we had a lot in common.  Age wise that is.  Stop laughing!

I had so much fun talking up there in front of my fellow classmates.  I thought I had come up with some pretty ingenious topics too.  For example--pet peeves.  Mine was on spit.  Yep, spit.  And how I hated to see people of any gender spit publicly.  I had 5 minutes up there in front of the class to rant about spit.  I had them rolling in the aisles.  Fun times.   And then there was the one on country cooking.  I walked into class with a bucket from Kentucky Fried Chicken.  I talked on and on about my grandmother's southern cooking--from fried chicken to okra and then afterward I passed my bucket around the room--it was full of my special homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Do I know how to win over a crowd or what?   My speech on hobbies was a little difficult for me.  With 3 kids at home--they were my hobby!  However, after much brain racking, I thought of something.  Scrap-booking, photo books, and stamping.  Something I really enjoy even to this day.  I brought one of my prized photo books and let them peer into my life.  I think they enjoyed that day as much as I did.

The one speech though that stands out in my memory the most was my speech to persuade.  Ha, I finally remembered what it was called.  That speech defined me.  That day they got to know the real me.  The funny me stayed away and the serious me took over.  I walked into class and passed out little packets of tissue and a little business card that I typed up on my very own computer.  On that card were my name, phone number, and email address.  As everyone sat there holding their props I began to talk.

That day I shared about how I became a Christian.  I told it all.  I knew that I'd most likely never see them again.  I knew that I'd get one shot.  I knew that they would be able to tell if I were a poser, so it was important to me to lay all my cards on the table and to be as truthful as possible.  I talked about my childhood, my parent's conversion to Christianity and my own.  I talked about the void in my heart before I knew who God was, and I talked about the safety and peace in my heart once I met him.  I was given 10 minutes.  There wasn't a dry eye in the room when I was finished, even my professor was teary eyed.  I ended that day with this statement--if you ever need me, if you ever have any questions about life, or God or anything--feel free to call me day or night.  I will always be here for you.  After a semester together, I have grown to love you just like you are my own children.  I have prayed for you every single day.  

Did anyone ever call or email me?  Yes, yes they did.  It was the best class, the best speech, the best time of my life.  And yet--I was so afraid to take that first step.  Public speaking--it wasn't so hard after all.