How I Got My Gift for Public Speaking

Prompt 1:  I liked all of the prompts for this contest, and will eventually write on all of them, but today I am writing on my gift from my Mother -- public speaking

My gift of gab comes directly from my father, but the use of that gift came from my Mother.  My Mother was a very quiet and wonderful woman who spoke softly but commanded your attention.  Recognizing my need to talk when I was very young, she insisted along with the rest of the community that I would speak, and speak well.

To develop my ability to speak, and speak in front of an audience, I was required to learn numerous Scriptures and poems, and be required to recite them for her first, at church second, and in competitions throughout the State of Georgia.  First, I would learn a verse or two, and then entire passages.  In Sunday School, I would be required to recite them from memory.  Then our Sunday School class would compete with other Sunday School classes at the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PA of W) conferences and conventions.

While learning Scriptures was important to my Mother, she loved poetry and loved hearing them spoken.  She insisted on me learning such poems as Thanatopsis, The Creation, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, The Raven, The House by the Side of the Road, Twas the Night Before Christmas, and many more.  Each poem had to be learned and spoken with the right emphasis, and with the right diction for each.  Competitions for these were always held at the schools, and prizes were to be won.  Yes, I represented the classes at each grade level, but I represented my Mother at all levels all the time, and she was always in the audience.

I was taught how to stand.  How to walk on the stage.  How to find someone in the audience to talk to as I presented my passages.  Mother always said that it is natural to be frightened for the first few minutes, but if you know your subject matter, you will get over the fright and settle right in, just as if you were having a conversation with someone.  She must have been right because I almost always walked away with the coveted blue ribbon for first place.  Second and third places were not acceptable.  No, there was never any money, just the experience, and the development of the skill to speak in public.

My training did not stop at home.  Mother routinely and regularly showed up at school to make sure that when there were opportunities for me to speak, I would be given the chance to do so.  I honed my skills in the classroom, at church, at conferences, conventions, and yes at home whenever anyone would come around.  Mother insisted that I learned several poems, but she also insisted that I sharpen my vocabulary.  Back then we could not afford magazines, books, novels, etc., but she worked for a number of White families that could, and rather than let them throw their old books out, Mother would bring them home for me to read and practice with all month long until the new ones were available.  Her favorite was a Readers Digest because it always had a set of ten new words with definitions for me to learn. 

In addition to my Mother's instructions, teachers at my schools were a vital part of my education.  My Sunday School teachers also played a major role in helping to develop my public speaking skills.  In fact, in my hometown, children were taught to be their best --no matter what because you represented the community.  Each child was expected to develop his or her best skills.  Pride was taken in being the best speaker or the best reader or the best drum major or the best speller.  Teachers worked with us on our strengths.  We were not allowed to focus on our weaknesses.  Parents were an essential part of our education.  Yes, the village had a role in my training, but my Mother just took it to the next step. 

Her words were, "If you have a wonderful vocabulary, and you have great speaking skills, you will always have something to say, and not be at a loss for words."  Well, I was never at a loss for words, but with the skills she instilled in me, I have been able to speak all over the USA on various topics related to my job.  I have been able to speak on my behalf and that of my neighbors and later my residents at conferences, conventions, town meetings, as a candidate for various public offices, and currently as Mayor of my City, Mount Rainier, Maryland.

Maybe I did not inherit my talent from my family or from my grandparents, but my love of public speaking was honed and drilled into me by my Mother as she sat back and watched me recite the many poems and scriptures that I have come to love over the years.  My Mother was also an excellent writer with great penmanship. 

In this writing, I've only talked about Mother's love for poetry and public speaking, but she was a writer at heart!

Word Count:  910