SPEECH PERFECT

My wife was working as a Secretary in a business organization. In her office, her colleague had attended a lecture. The speech was about the possibilities of dealing with stress. The speaker had inspired her.   The speaker was considered a spiritual leader, a living Master and he was the editor of a magazine too. My wife suggested that we too go to his speeches.

We went, quite early, as we learnt that the doors of the auditorium, would be shut, before the speech began. The auditorium was full. Sharp at 6PM, the speaker, dressed in spotless white clothes, began the talk. He stood before the mike and talked continuously for one and half hour. The speech was brilliant; the examples amazing, and the modulation and emotion optimal. It was a thrilling experience. 

As we returned home, I was told my wife,“ He is such a talented speaker.  Not once during the speech, did he falter, or search for words, or expressions. There was such excellent flow, so smooth, and even. I wish I could talk like him.”

I admire people who talk well; People who are able to speak continuously in a single language. I too, try to talk, either in English, or Tamizh, or Hindi as the need may be. But I try hard to be faithful to the language I use , without resorting to borrowing of  words from other lingo. I constantly listen to myself as I speak. This improves the flow. I have taken many good speakers as my role model, since I need to train people.

Three years later, we once again had a chance to listen to the same speaker.  We went with lots of anticipation. Once again, the speaker came, and stood before the mike. There was hushed silence. He started making the speech. He repeated word to word, expression to expression, example to example, the same speech he had given three years back. I have a very good memory, and I can recall the details of any speech that impresses me. What a disillusionment it was. I might have as well listened to a recoding. So, that was the secret to his perfect speech. Learning by -heart and reproducing. My wife enjoyed herself, since she could not remember the earlier speech. I guess that could be the generalized mindset of an audience. Short- term memory, which is taken advantage of, by a speaker. “ You do not remember, and so I repeat.”

This pattern of repeat speeches I have seen everywhere. I noticed this first in a famous Tamizh mythology speaker. Most of my bosses, have done this. I wonder, are they so starved of imagination, originality and creativity? If I were to say the same thing over and over again, then a part of me would die. I never duplicate my talks, because if I do so, then I would fail to stimulate myself, motivate myself, and would degrade into someone dull, unimaginative and downright boring.  To me I am my first audience. And the best way I can be alive and kicking, is to try a novel way of expressing myself, each time, every time. It does not matter, if I am not speech perfect, or have to search for a phrase, or a new expression, but as long as I am new to myself, it is reward enough.