The speech as given is below. I kept the circular reference, but made
sure the audience knew that I was respecting the stay at home mom
position by my intonation.
To solidify my pacing and stop being so stagnated, I switched two
paragraphs from near my close up to the middle - keeping all of the
professional terms together instead of interupting it with my pushing
back at the world.
Craig Valentine had the whole audience shouting "GO!" after he did
"Ready Set" - just a half hour before I went on - so I thought why not
take advantage of Craig's energy and have them finish off my own ready
set go, that was already in my speech. It worked well - and by the
time I asked them "What do you think I should do?" it gave them
permission to yell out "Go for it!" - unexpected, but cool!
I definitely used my pauses more effectively - and still ended before
the red light. All in all a successful outing.
Glorious Victory - As Given at District 9 4-21-07
Glistening sweat trickles down my brow
Bulging muscles flex in anticipation
Chants of Ri Chard, Ri Chard, Ri Chard, fill the air
Just 50 yards separate me from Glorious Victory
Mr. Toastmaster, ladies and gentlemen, its my memory,
and I'll remember it ANY WAY I CHOOSE!
I was in the fifth grade when my parents entered me
into the Physically Disabled Olympics
I dedicated my recess to training my atrophied left leg
to work together with its healthier, right-footed partner
Determined to grasp the gold.
I lined up with 8 other boys
we had only a 25 yard lane
tag the wall and run back to the finish.
Help me out here:
Ready, set, (motion to audience who shouts GO!) (this was a piggyback
on Craig V's keynote about 35 minutes earlier, getting to them to do
the same) -
I took off in trademark hopalong style
hitting the turn
I saw I had no competition
Glorious Victory
Next up, the scooter race.
Square plastic boards with four wheels
Racers lay forward
Legs extended
Propeller arms pushing them down the same shortened track
Turning around is trickier on wheels
Approach the wall
Stick my hand out to the floor as a lynchpin
Slingshot myself back the other way
Before we started
I checked out my competition
Some wearing full-length leg braces
Being helped out of wheelchairs
A few being tied down to their board
Still, I raced
and won
Glorious Victory?
It was an early opportunity to accept honors and accolades from the
world
I was officially a champion disabled athlete.
Key word: Disabled.
Perhaps life would have been easier
If I had accepted my label and worn my crown.
At least easier for everybody ELSE.
With 6.7 billion people in the world
We have to identify and label each other quickly and simply
Its professional triage - who should we choose to have time for?
We answer the questions Who are you and What do you do
As if they were the same
Salesman. Secretary. Surgeon.
Architect. Mechanic. Stay-at-Home Mom
Sometimes these are labels we work for - we earn and take pride in.
Others are labels the world pushes us into and demands we bear.
Some are labels we write ourselves, and settle into.
Are you celebrating Glorious Victory?
Or have you just ended up, where you're at.
Pushed by family, friends, the demands of survival.
Successful, perhaps.
But is it success settled for, or celebrated?
What of the Stay-at-Home mom dreaming of being an architect?
The architect who really wanted to be a surgeon?
The surgeon longing to be a Stay-at-Home Mom?
I never competed as a disabled athlete again
Every time the world tried to push me in place, I pushed back
My Parents tried to protect me from risky activities, but I found my
own risks
Doctors refused to let me play basketball for my high school team
Despite my deep and deadly three-point-shot
So I shot hoops and ran the fast break on neighborhood courts
Tonight, my biggest disability doesn't even stem from my newly
acquired titanium toes
But my Ben & Jerry's Belly
My prostheticist won't give me a super-charged athletic ankle until I
lose 40 pounds
Many people tell me not to bother - just be glad I can walk.
What do you think I should do?
I want you to ask yourself this question:
Are you who you wanted to be?
Or who the world let you become?
I've never won another 50 yard dash.
I have no basketball trophies on the mantle
But I determine my dreams and destinations
And I celebrate every day.
Are you celebrating? I hope so.
If not - Why Not?
Declare to the world - and yourself - who you really are
Don't run the wrong race.
or wear the wrong crown.
Find risks, push back, and be who YOU want to be.
It doesn't matter if you start with small steps
Or take leaps and bounds (bound on stage)
But promise yourself you will always celebrate
Glorious victory!
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