Some have asked about the speeches I give. The following is an example of one of my speeches. I was thrilled to be able to present it to the NEW Toastmasters Group which met at Touchmark in Appleton today. If you would prefer to watch it, I can send you a link if you send me a message. I did record it today.
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Good afternoon, fellow Toastmasters! I am very thankful that you have allowed me to come in to speak with you today! Since it is my first time meeting with you, I decided that I would like to share the most impactful time of my life with you. To some extent, it is about the power of communication. All too often, I think that it is something that we take for granted. And sometimes, it is something we use before we think about what we are really saying.
For example: I was out and about one day. I saw a sign that read, "Ears pierced while you wait." Really?!!! I didn't think that I was going to just drop them off!
A friend of mine was offended when she received a letter in her mail. It wasn't so much the letter that offended her, as it was the line that read, "Please keep your private area clean." YIKES! I could not believe my ears! Even I was offended for her…until she laughed and told me that it was a newsletter from the condominium association. It was referring to their private property.
Laughter is powerful. It raises the spirits and keeps a person sane. Sometimes it is all we have to carry us through. November 5, 2009 was a beautiful day! It was sunny and seasonably warm. My 5 year old niece was staying with me for a few days. We had a great time throughout the day. We giggled, laughed, and played like only 5 year olds know how to do. She kept me busy until I was scheduled to teach piano after school got out. That is what I was doing when the phone rang.
I don't typically answer my house phone while I am teaching. However, my teenage daughters went to Appleton after school that day. When the phone rang, I excused myself. 45 minutes later, I found myself at Theda Clark's Emergency Room. I was taken to my daughter's room where I found her still covered in blood. She was scared. I was scared. I'm sure my niece was scared! I was relieved though. Blood covered or not, she appeared to be fine. But where was her sister? Where is Becca?
When police call to alert family of an accident, they don't share any details. I had no idea if Becca was alive or dead! Similarly, when doctors talk to you, they don't share everything. They share only what you need to know at that moment.
Time passed about as fast as time can pass when you are in that situation. Doctors, nurses, and police came in and out of the room. When we were taken to see the girls' friend Morgan who was also in the accident, I felt horrible when I saw her swollen, black & blue face. She had a shattered eye socket and a broken clavicle. As terrible as I felt for her, I knew she would be OK. I still needed to know about Becca. Is she okay?
At last, we were taken back to a room to talk to the doctor's in charge of my other daughter's case. I was shocked by all the people that filed into the room. By this time most of our family had arrived and were there to hear the same news we were. …The doctors finally told us Becca was alive! They had her stabilized, but had no idea what the outcome would be. Day upon endless day passed, stresses high.
An entire month passed before we left the intensive care unit. At last, the day came to remove her trach. Can you imagine going a whole month without hearing your daughter's voice? or being able to communicate with her at all? Knowing she could only say a couple sentences, her first words came out sounding a bit like ET as she asked, "When can I go home?" and were followed by a whimper. Heart-wrenching as her words were, they were music to my soul! I finally got to hear her voice again!
Her prognosis had been fairly bleak. MRIs showed that her brain looked as though she has been shot at close range by a shotgun. She spent 55 days at the hospital. Today, I rejoice in the power of prayer and the healing power of God. Becca has far surpassed all of what doctors projected. If you met her today, you may not know anything is wrong with her. She does have lingering effects from the traumatic brain injury and from the other trauma she sustained, but we continue to see healing and hope that someday she will live life close to what we, as society, say is normal.
We don’t realize the impact that words have on other people - or how much we appreciate the communication we have with one another until we lose it. I have been blessed to see the relationship between the three girls grow immensely. They are now the best of friends. I cherish their laughter every day!
I encourage you to choose your words wisely. It's fun to laugh at poorly worded sentences, but it is especially important to communicate well with those you work and live with. You've heard it said, "Live each day as if it is your last." The same idea may be said about your words. Cherish your life and the people in it. May your words encourage as well as show love and respect for those around you.
