*Clapping had subsided*
Mom: “Alright, honey, it’s your turn for the Thanksgiving toast.”
My heart pounded uncontrollably, my hands were trembling and sweating, the Sprite inside my cup smashed from side to side as the mug shook, and the number of butterflies in my stomach tripled in a matter of seconds. I had never felt this timorous before giving a short speech to my family members, but as I looked down at what felt like a mile-long table with a million eyes staring in my direction, I realized that there was no turning back.
Me: “Hello, every-ery-e”
This was a disaster. I had stuttered the very first few words of my speech. Time felt like it had stopped. All I wanted to do at that moment was to run away and hide in my room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my sister trying her hardest not to burst out laughing since she knew she would get into a ton of trouble.
Me: “Sorry, haha. Um… I just wanted to take a moment to talk about… um… one sec…”
*COUGH COUGH*
I was blanking. I couldn’t think of anything to talk about! My mind was racing too much for me to come up with a response, and just like any other nine-year-old would have done, I looked at my mother for an answer. My mother was sitting just to my left, so it was easy to make it seem like I was pondering something, but in reality, looking at her for help. She knew exactly what was going on. She signaled for me to take a deep breath and mouthed for me to think about what I’m grateful for. Ok, I thought to myself. What is most important for me? I wondered. That’s when it hit me. The answer I was looking for was right in front of me!
Me: “Ok. I’ve got it. Thanksgiving is a time for individuals to realize what they are grateful for in life and a chance to improve themselves. With that being said, I would like to talk about what I’m most grateful for. No, it’s not the turkey or the delicious mashed potatoes-”
The room burst into laughter, and some people even clapped.
Me: “Haha. In all seriousness, though, I’m most grateful for my family. They have always been there for me, through thick and thin, and I know I can always rely on them. They have helped me succeed and supported me in anything I have done, and I just want to say that I am so grateful for you and that you will always have a special place in my heart.”
Once I finished, everyone applauded once more, and I took one more deep breath of relief. That wasn’t so bad after all, I figured. I took a seat, content with my response, and listened to others as I dug into the turkey. Thanksgiving is meant to bring people together and allow them to reflect on what they have so they can take advantage of it. In this case, I overcame my fear of stage fright, but more importantly, people gave me their full attention so that I could figure out what is most significant to me in my life.
