In November of 2011, I joined my company's Toastmasters' group. Toastmasters encourages public speaking and assists members in polishing their public speaking skills.
For members, Toastmasters' first speech is your icebreaker - it's when you introduce yourself to everyone and tells everyone a little about yourself. A conversation with a friend today reminded me of my first Toastmasters speech. I thought I'd share it here (and I hope you enjoy):
“In Italy, wine, bread and olive oil are called the Santa
Trinita Mediterranea
– the Mediterranean Holy Trinity. The Texas Holy Trinity is only slightly different:
wine, cattle and oil… just not olive oil.”
I have a book that I’ve read
that comparison out of – in fact, I’ve
given
that book as a gift on more than a few occasions. The name of the book is “The Wine Bible” by Karen
MacNeil. Obviously we’re talking about the W-I-N-E variety grown from the ground and not
the W-H-I-N-E that more than
a few of us succumb to every once in a while.
I love this book
because
it’s such a fantastic resource on the making, growing, history and just a cornucopia of
knowledge about wine. One of my favorite lines in the book is about page ... 752 ... and
if you took anything from
the
name of this book think of the “bible” reference – it’s a big book on wine…
Page 752 continues the story of Ed Auler a Texas cattle rancher and attorney who in 1973, went to France with his wife Susan to further his knowledge of different cattle breeds. I must admit, I had no concept that studying cattle in France was an option - BUT – as you can imagine, besides the history and cheeses and foods and WINE and VINEYARDS… the Aulers looked around parts of France and Europe they noticed how much the topography and granite limestone reminded them of the Hill Country in Texas – and the author (Karen MacNeil) says the following – and this is my favorite – “The Aulers thought the Texas thought: ‘We can do that.’ Their successful vineyard was realized 10 years later – Fall Creek Vineyards… which produces a pretty fantastic bottle of wine.
Page 752 continues the story of Ed Auler a Texas cattle rancher and attorney who in 1973, went to France with his wife Susan to further his knowledge of different cattle breeds. I must admit, I had no concept that studying cattle in France was an option - BUT – as you can imagine, besides the history and cheeses and foods and WINE and VINEYARDS… the Aulers looked around parts of France and Europe they noticed how much the topography and granite limestone reminded them of the Hill Country in Texas – and the author (Karen MacNeil) says the following – and this is my favorite – “The Aulers thought the Texas thought: ‘We can do that.’ Their successful vineyard was realized 10 years later – Fall Creek Vineyards… which produces a pretty fantastic bottle of wine.
“We
Can Do That” – that’s a pretty positive statement. It’s almost a little cocky – a bit of
Texas – rather sure of themselves. I have never forgotten that story because it makes
me chuckle every time. I
can’t
begin to tell you how many times I’ve looked at situations in my life and thought, “I can do
that.”
I
was born in Odessa Texas – one of four children – the only girl. I have two older brothers and a
younger brother and in the late 70’s &
early
80’s we ran a little wild and I was a serious Tomboy. My brothers
would jump over streams, I would think, “I can do that” I’d jump too. They would
climb trees and jump from roofs– I would follow along thinking, “I can do that.”
Obviously boys are equipped in the
area
of standing and… well, you know… and I went right along thinking, “I can do that”… I must
admit I have never successfully stood and…
“well
you know…”
My
home life was less than ideal and in the early 80’s my brothers and I were put in a children’s
home – in fact – I lived at Hendrick Home
for
Children for 5 years – the hardest part was being separated from
my brothers. I would wake up every day missing them wildly – and wishing with all my heart
that I could see them and my parents.
Few
years following I left the home – I had just turned 13 – in a year I was pregnant.
That’s right. I was pregnant at 14. Woah – that
took “I
can do that…” a little too far. I weighed my options – met with a family that would adopt my
child. Then one day I went for a sonogram – still in high school – trying to continue
with my life and I heard that
sound. It sounds like a horse running. This baby’s heart beat inside of me and I thought…
Wow… WOW… this is my baby… “I can do
this….”
I
was married at 15 to her father, lost my mother when I was 17 and my father when I was 19, had a
son when I was 19. I will not pretend or even begin to say that it was easy. It
was hard. I had choices to
make
and they were not always easy. Stretching $20 a week for meals for a family of three,
taking a bus to school so I could say that I graduated, trying to be a mom and a wife as a
teenager happened because I gave
myself
a lot of talks saying, “I can do this.”
So
far in my professional carrier, I have made cookies, fried chicken, arranged flowers, attended
vocational school, attended law school,
prepared
taxes, was a paralegal for almost 12 years, worked on a few judicial campaigns, served
as the Director of Communications &
Community
Relations and Interim Head of School at a local private school – all the while
pushing myself from my less than humble
beginnings
with the thought, “I can do this.”
I
have four children now. A son, 15 who goes to school at Clyde High School, a daughter, 19 who
attends West Texas A&M in Canyon, a
step-daughter,
16 and step-son 18 – who live with my husband and I in Clyde, Texas. We just have the 3 teens at home since my
daughter is off at college –
you
can imagine that I often have to step back, take a deep breath and convince myself “WE CAN DO
THIS” – having 4 teenagers is truly an
adventure.
I
read, I camp, I cook, and I write. I see things in the store and I think “I can make this.”
So I try to do exactly that. I am constantly learning.
So
my “icebreaker” is more of a challenge – or even a continuation of the spirit of the Auler’s
point of view, “We can do that” – that’s why we’re here at Toastmasters. To learn
from each other – to encourage professional
and personnel growth in communications and to remind each other that communication is
vastly differently than speaking – and
frankly
– We Can Do That.
