One of the reasons that I joined Toastmasters was to improve my leadership and communication skills. 

Growing up, I was a shy, quiet, introvert.  I had no siblings, so I spent a lot of time alone.  I developed a habit for keeping my thoughts to myself.  I got so good at it that it morphed into self talk where I convinced myself that no one really wanted to hear what I had to say anyway.  

One of my favorite pastimes was reading and for many years my favorite thing to read was comic books.    When I was younger, stories about Casper the friendly ghost were my preference.  Then as I got a little older it was the Archie comic books.  There was something about him, Betty, Veronica, Reggie and the other Riverdale characters that I couldn’t get enough of.  Eventually comic books became novels and I would spend hours and hours immersed in one story or another.  The other love that I developed back then was a love of music.  I spent many hours in our Detroit, Michigan basement listening to my parents 45s and LPs and staying out of sight. During that time, I also learned to play the clarinet, organ and piano and got to be very good at them. 

Eventually my love of reading would turned into a love of writing.  I began to write short stories and poems.  Not for anyone in particular.  Writing was a safe space and gave me the opportunity to express  the things that I was too shy to say out loud.  Sometimes, I would turn them in for my school assignments.  Unbeknownst to me, my teachers were submitting them to competitions and the next thing you know,  I was winning awards and my writings were being included in statewide publications.  Guess they really did want to hear what I had to say after all. 

My love and study of music continued over the years.  I joined the school band when I was a sophomore in high school.  I had been too shy to join during Freshman year, shortly after we moved south from Detroit to Shreveport.  I was the new girl, in a new school.  Even though I knew how to play the clarinet, I told myself surely these kids that have playing together since middle school are much better than me.  I made myself small and started as a 3^rd row clarinetist.  But I couldn’t hide for long.  Soon, my band director took notice, saw my talent and the 3^rd row became the 2^nd, then the 1^st row, then the 1^st chair of the first row.  I would go on to be nominated for the McDonalds all star high school marching band and be featured multiple years as the first chair clarinetist in the district honor band.  Guess they wanted to hear what I had to play.

After high school, I went to New Orleans, LA to attend college. Things were not going  as smoothly as I had hoped and this led me to the decision to leave school.  So, during Christmas break of my sophomore year, I joined the army on the delayed entry program.  “I’ll just take a break from school,” I told myself,  “I can always go back later.”  When I returned to New Orleans after break, I told my friends the plan.  They were flabbergasted. It the early 90s and Desert Storm was going on.  One of my friends was a student at Tulane University and was enrolled in their engineering program.  “Apply to Tulane,” he told me.  “Tulane is the Harvard of the South.  I can’t get into Tulane,” I told him.  “I can’t afford Tulane.  The army won’t let me out of my contract.”  He just calmly responded, “…..apply.  You will get in.  You will get the money.  They will let you out of your contract.”  So, I applied.  Got accepted.  Got the money and the army let me out of my contract.

That was the beginning to the rest of the story which has been filled with more angels.  Individuals that could see through the walls that I was trying to hide behind.  They saw me, encouraged me, championed me and always showed up at just the right moment to shine a light or help nudge me along the path that has led me from that shy little bookworm in her parents basement to a leader in business and in my community where I’ve had the opportunity to serve, collaborate and mentor others.    

I look at my life and realize just how blessed I’ve been.  I also realize that we’re blessed to be a blessing and God will use anyone to get the message to whomever He needs to get it to.  So, that’s my goal.  It’s why I joined Toastmasters.  To further develop my leadership and communication skills so that I can most effectively use the gift God gave to me and that gift is my voice.