Public Speaking

I tried to be witty but ended up being silly.
I tried to be coy but ended up being a bore.
I tried to be cool but ended up being a fool.
I tried to be myself but ended up being like everyone else.

Yes, it is a silly poem. What it wrong with being like everyone else? Who said I wanted to be on stage and in the spotlight? I prefer to be in the background writing the script and pulling the strings, that is where the real action is at.

I am taking a required speech class this semester and it scares the crap out of me. I do not like being in front of a group of strangers and having to speak to all of them at once. One or two at a time I can handle, but a whole class? Excuse me while I grab the smelling salts. Ok, I have never actually fainted before and I am sure it will be fine if they can hear my squeaks in the back row.

Do we ever grow out of shyness? I believe that we do overcome it as we age. I have improved immensely since high school. I tried to blend into the walls back then, God forbid a teacher should call on me. It wasn’t that I did not know the answer; I was too scared to talk. Speaking in public probably never will be one of my strong suits, well maybe by the time I am seventy I will be ok with it.

The butterflies will come, my palms will sweat, and hopefully I won’t get the hiccups when I give my first speech. Maybe I will even learn something along the way.