Page 24 - 2018 September Voices

Out of encouragement comes confidence

and courage.

drinking free-flowing fine wine while chatting came, to my amazement. This experience was
over small talk. I was so proud to be a Rotarian, a life changing, memorably festive evening. A
to be there, all dressed up in a presidential blue big boost. I did it!!
suit, white shirt, cuff links, a purple tie, and spit- As a speaker, I had been benched previously

shined shoes, and armed with nearly two years in junior college. I had been discouraged as a
of beginner level French. student of French to give it up less than twelve
While I was waiting to be called upon as months prior to my Parisian Rotary debut at
the guest speaker, thoughts continued to pour the platform.

through my head. I was aware that my French I made it through the impromptu speech en
was, at best, at the advanced tourist-level. français, I was complimented by an 80-year-old
There is only so much one can say to advance man, who was sitting next to me, who stated that
a conversation or a talk armed with all the I did a very good job. Another Rotarian got up to

tourist phrases such as “Comment allez-vous, speak and referred to the remarks made by the
je m’appelle Terry Beard,” I think you get my visiting Rotarian. I was thinking, “this is cool.”
drift, “… je reste a d’Hôtel Duminy Vendôme”; I was further inspired by the fact that my
I was quickly exhausting my tourist French French might not be the best tourist-level French,

vocabulary. but they understood me, and being Rotarians,
Now I was being asked to stand up again to they were gracious and patient with me. I was
give a speech. proud!! I received put-ups, compliments. I knew
Finally, I had to make a decision about that I was in a safe place, a safe harbor.

speaking and, if so, in English or French. French Out of encouragement comes confidence
it is, I’ll live with no regrets. As I spoke in French, and courage.
I was sweating profusely. The perspiration was Success comes before work only in the
cascading off my forehead right onto my dinner dictionary!

plate. I spoke for ten to fifteen minutes; my Terry Beard initially joined Arlington Club
heart was beating like at no other time since my Toastmasters in 2001. He co-founded Portland
military days in Augsburg, Germany. Rotary Toastmasters in 2015. Terry is the author
Well, I went through the speaking drill of Squelched - Succeeding in Business and Life

again with my limited vocabulary, “Bonsoir, by Finding Your Voice, published in 2017 and
je m’appelle . . , j’habite à Portland, je reste à available on Amazon.com. Visit his book website at
l’hotel.” To keep me on my feet and speaking squelchedbook.com. You can reach him at terry@
a little more, I was prompted with a question. squelchedbook.com.

The president of the Club asked me to explain
what my Rotary Club did to make a difference
in the world. I was so proud to share what our
Club does in community service that the words

24 ONE COMMUNITY