A stutterer hosting a talkshow... THAT IS CRAZY!!!
I have stuttered for as long as I can remember. I can think of very few moments in my life, where I have not felt a tinge of anxiety before I spoke. As a natural extrovert and people person, stuttering was an aggressively hurdled stumbling block that never ceased to strengthen my humility and challenge my ego. Elementary school was the vestibule of hell but junior high was better. By time I reached high school, I had a gang of friends and was fairly popular. I had taken a clue from the only other stutterer I knew of, James Earl Jones and joined drama. Yes, I did plays and skits and it did help. Strange as this is going to sound, when I do stage voices, my stutter is almost undetectable. Quietly I prayed every night to God that my own voice… the voice of Kenda … would miraculously become as clear and audible as it did in the characters I would portray. Silly as it may sound, I still have that prayer some nights.
Don't get it twisted, once I get my stride you will forget I even stutter... it’s the mounting up that can be tricky. Facing it head on and jumping over it. Yes, it is daunting but can I allow that to hold me from moving toward my goals...HECK NO. Nor should you! What "disabler “have we built into wall that separates us from our goal. Imagine if Ray Charles decided not to play the piano out of fear of missing a key he couldn't see with his natural eyes but saw with vividness in his soul. What if Stevie Wonder had let fear of mocking stares hold his gift hostage? Now, trip on this... the fact that they were blind were footnotes in comparison to more obvious actuality of their talents.
Let them be the example of when a perceived stumbling block becomes a surmountable hurdle. Let me be the work in progress, like a piece of coal that becomes a diamond with time and work. Allow yourself to ponder your own possibilities as you listen to me explore mine.Having a talk show host who stutters, that's crazy...will never happen. Hmmm, they said the same thing about a Black Man being president... think again!
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