“COURAGE”
Living in a world full of judgmental people who makes a conclusion without making prior research and does not even seek for truth or valid reason is truly a pain in the neck.
It is usually pitiful to see someone stutter and they cannot help it; More especially if that person loves to perform in public, but Meghan Washington makes an exemption. She serves as an inspiration to many. She stood up and face her fears regardless of what people may say even if it will affect her career as a professional singer or people might make fun of her speech defect.
Meghan lives all her life in the mortal dread of public speaking. Ever since it seems hard for her to speak fluent in a natural voice and words composing of ‘st’ becomes her kryptonite. But then, she still makes some techniques on how to cheat her condition by means of singing as it is the only way for her not to stutter and look fluent in what she wants to say. We and people of her condition have one thing in common, it is our love to sing as singing is one of the most artistic ways to express our emotions. Therefore, Meghan is not just an ordinary woman who has speech defects, she is an artist and she was great in her creations.
She should not be compared to a normal individual, simply because that girl is an extraordinary person where only a few can do what she did. It takes a lot of courage to face your greatest fear and she has enough amount of it to speak publicly despite living in the mortal dread of public speaking.
Allow me to quote Mr. Jose Olaguer’s statement as he once performed in Balangkas poetry recital, “you don’t need to be the best to make art”. To be an artist all you need to have is the heart that touches the soul of your listeners/ viewers; and Meghan Washington does it without a doubt in her speech in TED Talk. Among all the public speakers I have watched so far, only she has told me indirectly that people with certain defect or disease is not someone to be pitied for but someone to be inspired of. She told me and everyone watching her speech that there is nothing to be afraid of but there is something we must try which is the courage to step outside our comfort zone and change our perspective in life as we turn negative things upside down making it a positive and inspirational actions. She told us that lesson figuratively where only a few individuals are able to comprehend.
Meghan Washington for me is not someone we should be pitied about but someone to be inspired of. If you pity her instead of being amazed at what she can do and what she has done, then it is you that the people should be pitied of. Simply because your eyes are closed to the great things in life. You only see the things unnecessary for living happily. You were imprisoned by your negativity and does judgment without seeking for valid reasons. It is you that people should be pitied if you do not see what the essence of courage is and what can it do to someone’s life like Meghan.
Before I end this article I just wanted to leave this message as a reminder to everyone.
"True inspirations are not always those people who make extravagant things in life, but also the people who step out of their comfort zones and conquer their fears. It is because life is not always about winning, sometimes it is about trying."