20220411 : speech writing

Couple of days back, I (we) had been to my daughter's school.

It was for a graduation ceremony that the school had organised.

She (her class) was graduating from middle school (grade 8) to high school (grade 9).

It was a enjoyable evening.

There were the class children, the teachers, the parents, some siblings, few grandparents and a bunch of folks who were close to the children. A small group of people who mattered to the children basically.

Before the function, the school had requested that a couple of parents speak on the occasion.

I wanted to speak and say a few things. But I can't speak.

I had the words, but no voice to convey them.

I requested a dear friend and co-parent to be the voice for me. He kindly agreed.

He not only delivered the words, but did a better job than I would have with the tone, expressions, body language et-al. I am very grateful to him for doing it for me.

When I was a boy (maybe 3rd or 4th grade I think), I was enrolled into a debate competition in school.

The mic was as tall as I was. I had to look up to it. It came to the end of my nose. I think I was squinting both eyes staring at it.

I don't remember if I spoke anything that day. I was crapping bricks staring at the mic.

That was the end of getting on a stage/ speaking. I don't think it was a concious thing, but I have not taken part in anything after in primary/ middle school/ high school/ pre-university/ college.

Anything involving a stage or mic, I would avoid like the plague.

When I was young - young adult i.e., work settings forced me to speak up - in small groups, in meetings etc., usually only with folks I was familiar and comfortable with.

It took quite a while before I could muster up courage and speak in larger groups and folks I was not familiar with.

By then, I don't think it was stage fright or mic fright but all the adult frights of "what will everyone think" / "I will look foolish"/ "it's a silly thing"/ and similar things on similar lines.

Here , at my daughter's school, I was at a significant advantage. I didn't have to deliver anything. I didn't have to worry about how I would say it, how I will look, the expressions, the intonation, the body language, nothing.

My role ended giving words, plain naked words. Delivering them was someone else's responsibility. I was not the one who had to be in front of the staring/ scrutinizing pairs of eyes all around.

It was a very strange feeling. I guess it is how speech writers do it all the time for others. Put down anything you want, someone else has to take the bullets 🙂

It's a fairly safe profession if you ask me 😂

On a different note. The adult worries and inhibitions - I never stopped to ask myself "so what?"

Those inhibitions and mind created hurdles have held me back from doing so many things. Self imposed hurdles of the mind.

Speaking is one of the million things I was able to do and took lightly.

When I am not able to do them anymore, I regret all the things I didn't do when I could. I took all the miracles and marvellous gifts for granted and threw them away!

I'd imagine it is what everyone feels when they get old and gradually lose faculties and abilities. Things they were able to do and they didn't - will come to haunt regularly.

I have had the opportunity to feel the same, not gradually but abruptly.

I am don't want to preach to you what you should do.

I will just say, watch the mind, be aware of the restrictions/ hurdles/ inhibitions it is putting up silently and holding us back.

Maybe they are not real. Maybe the answer to "so what?" is "so nothing"...