It's not the end of the world but you can see it from here.

Monday, February 20, 2012

How music helped me get over the fear of public speaking

So, when I was very young (probably from the ages of 7-14) I went to a Southern Baptist church. Being raised Southern Baptist was... an experience. At any rate, this post isn't about religion.

At the church that I went to there was a VERY elderly woman with an absolutely incredible singing voice. She knew I liked hearing her sing a particular hymn, and I'd sometimes as her if she'd sing it for me. With a wink and a grin she'd say "I'll sing a solo if you sing a solo for me first."

The first few times this didn't work, but eventually I did it. Then she asked me to help her get to the front so she'd take my arm and we'd walk, very slowly, up to the front of the church. I helped her up the stairs to the pulpit, got her a microphone, and she sang this hymn... and even though I'm no longer religious her singing this hymn is still the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. (And it's a beautiful hymn as it is, and she just KILLED it.)

I wish I had a recording of her,
we'll have to make due with Johnny Cash.

And years later I realized what she did- because of her making me sing a song for her first I can sing in front of a crowded gymnasium, a church congregation, I can speak in front of a college classroom, in front of a news camera (that's a hell of a story in and of itself) with out fear. I have no fear of public speaking. Zero. And it's all because of the kind old woman who made me sing for her before she'd sing for me.

16 comments:

  1. I uh, I wish I'd had an old woman like that help me out. That's an awesome story.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's great when we can attribute our strong points to strong people in our past.

    Welcome back, good to have you around again.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Public speaking is daunting, I was best man at my brothers wedding and practised my speech until nothing could wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Truly touching, I bet that old lady had plenty of amazing lessons to teach.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Some people can be quite amazing! She definitely seems like on of them!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pretty good hymn there. I'm glad you had someone who did that for you too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. If only I had someone like that

    ReplyDelete
  8. That's such a sweet story. ^_^ I have no clue why, but I love certain gospel songs. Particularly Amazing Grace. It just kind of...resonates with something in me.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm also now interested in hearing you sing. :p

    ReplyDelete
  10. I need to meet someone like that person.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The church I went to was Methodist (moderate views but boring) so I had to learn public speaking in high school classes.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That's interesting to know, using music to get over a fear.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Doesnt make one #@!!☆ hilla beans what religion you're baptized into, thars only One (Im a Roamin' Cat)... and that's Jeee-sis, brudda. Hopefully, you and I shall rejoice someday soon Upstairs. Join me, follow us, wiseabove...

    What's your address in Heaven, dear? Dunno? Mine's 111 Rock-Solid-Ave, Milky Weight, Seventh-Heaven. My sub/dude, neon mansion? Mama mia. A grandiose, exquisitely detailed, 3-acre-stuccoish home in a cul-de-sac with mountain-bike-trails we may conform with our thots. Why limit Almighty God? Why not fire-ALL-cylinders in one-fell-swoop? My intimacy with women Upstairs? Subtle, stupendous, fire-engine-zeal: skiing, surfin, sailing, snorklin, smmmokin, savvy, sassy space travel -to- scarlet symmetry! elegant ostentation! potent intoxication! technecolor satire to snuggle and serve: slow, soft, supersonic Sunday School which is an eXcellent, eXcessive eXaggeration of our lives woven together that's push-button, point-blank improv; a plethora of high-degree, Newtonian-laws-of-major league, victory laps where one force of kick-ass, party-hardy, white-water-rawness equals every, single, evening with wild knights, phorNphood, avatars, tender faeries, cereal killers and symbiotic, front-row-seats (subject to unofficial rules). Yes, of course! Baby making is most certaintly an option! ...yet, I gotta wanna see how She feels sharing me. My many planets? Gorgeous girls? Gott'm. Gotta lotta'm. Gotta gobba IQ, too, withe K2 orchestra only accessable to those with adolescent behavior: TOTALLY YOURS!!! How??? Gotta accept Jesus, missy!! Gotta. Wanna. Or you're sooo out-of-order, toots. Therefore, let's accelerate to the Maximum POW!er; let U.S. 'populate' the universe with i2i loyalty to the Bright Son. Wanna join me in God's wild Kingdome?? Chop, chop, dear. Time's running-out for us in this wee, existence finite PS: Time, as an entity, is also mortal: while thar aint no time in Seventh-Heaven, dollface... yet, puh-lenty of time to love due to the superior-supply-of-summer...

    ...cuzz the only other realm aint too cool: sweltering, cramped and Fugly rotten; Pokemon sawing-off your cranium with a chainsaw; nasty darkness, eternal starvation, Satan lies like a Persian rug; o'er-the-Hillary profusely cakkkling for eternity, no purchase necessary. How purrrecious! sez Gollum. 'Nuff sed. Decide NOW. Make Your Choice -SAW.

    MyCrucifixIsMyFix.blogspot.com
    trustNjesus

    ReplyDelete
  14. Aint too wise to take
    the Lord's Name in vain, son.
    Better repent.
    Make Your Choice -SAW

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have just come across this blog post, it’s really awesome just appreciating the time and hours spent writing this post. Thumbs up to the writer
    https://drahmedherbalist.com/strong-love-spells-in-dubai/love-spells-in-sweden

    ReplyDelete

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY SCREAM IT UNTIL YOU COUGH UP BLOOD!