A Recent Speech
Nearly three decades, on and off, Toastmasters has taught me a lot. Some things I have mastered (well almost) while others are as elusive as a mosquito in your bedroom. A few weeks ago I was getting set for a speech to be delivered at the Club that evening, uncertainty and doubt flitted about as usual. Those frailties have become captive but not vanquished. Perseverance is the only way to proceed, a bit like getting stuck behind the school bus.
My recent speech coincided with the anniversary of Maidenhead Speakers Club (MSC) becoming chartered. The content had some threads of what I am going to relay in these blogs, my expedition through Toastmasters. My Evaluator said it was an easy speech to deliver, he was correct. It was an easy speech that skimmed over a long and difficult journey.
This was the most recent delivery in a long and eclectic Toastmaster odyssey. It’s not over yet. There was never any expectation of a lengthy journey; the early experiences had me quaking before and during meetings. Why I steeped into this arena remains an enigma. In a series of blogs I intend to recollect passages of my journey from, and back to, MSC.
Throughout this series one of my aims is to avoid repetition, therefore, I need to say something once and here: my gratitude to the regular members of MSC (I called them the ‘hardcore’) in my early days is immutable. Nobody at the Club knew me before I joined; they offered guidance, encouragement and support. The ‘kindness of strangers’ is a term that I use but that tends to suggest a one off. This was ongoing. Since those days I have encountered urging, friendship and advice from many, but, without the ‘hardcore’ I would probably have walked away. There is no chance of saying thank you here to any individuals, that would be divisive.
Looking ahead in this series I have a plan of recalling the early days, overseas experiences, competitions and more. It may be cathartic for me; it may be of some interest to you.
The locations and Clubs are easily identified the people not always so, But I’m sure some readers will be able to say ‘that’s me!’.
My next blog post will be a peek at my earliest days at MSC.
–Ian Rees
Maidenhead Speakers Club 