I've written many versions of this post in my head since last night. Last night was a hard good night. It was a night full of TRY. I often say "Don't try, DO!" That is hard and misinformed. The definition of try-1.to try out or attempt. 2.to test powers of endurance. 3.to melt down and procure in a pure state.
' Do' does not just magically happen or work just as intended. Food burns, belly flops happen, and sometimes we totally blank out. Not pass out, but what we know leaves our mind and we are left grasping for even our last name.
Yet without trying we would never progress to master chef, beautiful swan dives, and expert water sports and acrobatics. Without trying we would always be at the mercy of others to feed us, standing on the edge of the pool just wishing or fearing, and have no memories of great experiences. A great man said you have to know the bitter to enjoy the sweet. So we try and we learn by doing.
Last night was the chapter leadership contest a.k.a. speech contest. Anna and Harold competed. Harold did creed and beginner prepared. He placed second in both. He did well. He has a natural ease of speaking. He likes to be in front of others and his large stature makes him a commanding presence.
Anna has learned much from this group of kids. Her officer team has been encouraging and instructional, again in the trying and doing.
He's of course not one to pose or even slow down for a mom pictures. So we get blurry HArold after receiving his greenhand degree complete with green hand.
More Green hands. The young lady on his right is his major competition for Creed. She's very smart and competitive. He told her he was beating her at district. Aliza studying the competition and preparing for next year.
Which brings me to my point. It's hard to be first. Last night Anna was first speaker. She is our first child. She is the first to step out/up and try. She has been thinking about this night since last year. She has read the Capital Press and our local paper all year in an effort to learn what is current in Ag. She has talked about doing a speech and she began writing after Christmas. She read and read she talked with "experts" and she learned. She started with bridging the gap between urban and rural people. She moved onto the effect of marijuana on eligible workers, to sustainability, finally on Saturday 5 days ago at 12:30 a.m. she finished her final speech on farm kids being the most desirable workers. She took Sunday off to rest and then Monday began preparing her speaking presentation. In 4 days she memorized that speech. She worked every spare moment on it. Many of us here at home also learned the speech!
She had been advised to speak it from memory so in an effort to be supportive of her efforts we just kept working toward that goal. She sounded good at home. When we got to the ag room it was full. A much different situation than last year when it was me and the advisor. This year many parents were watching and there were 4 judges placed awkwardly to her left. She got up and began to speak. First paragraph was good but then it happened. The load of all the people got to her and she blanked.
I didn't know what to do. I panicked too. I tried to mouth her a word- which is cheating- to get her going. She just mentally scrambled. She found her place and got through the next paragraph with a pause or two then the next then pause and so on to the excruciating end. She finally finished over time and broken hearted. She got through questions and came off the floor very sad. She was on the brink of tears but I told her she could not break down now. She had to breathe through this and keep going. She shed a few tears but pulled herself together to hear the next two speeches. Which were read from note cards and we knew she was not going on.
Every other speech that night used cards. No one dreamed of going from memory. Annd tried and it was a belly flop in front of several well wishing observers. It's hard to flop in front of others but she tried and is commended for her work. Anna is a hard worker! She is brave! She gained invaluable empathy last night. There were others who struggled, who may choose to never speak again. Yet if we don't get back up and try again how will we get better? So begins another year of preparing. She may try extemp. I told her she had done it. All that researching and writing of 4 speeches in a month without the ease of directed research topic. She seeks to improve and doesn't shy away from challenge. She smiled and laughed and did not hang her head.
Anna's speech talked about the resilience learned from Agricultural life. She is the embodiment of this. Resilient by definition- able to withstand or recover from difficult situations. I'm proud of her confidence.
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