What a shame! A journalist training to speak

When my acquaintances learnt of my new interest, they reacted variedly. From genuine shock to mocks and even smirks and some suppressed giggles.

How can a journalist seek help for learning to speak! What a shame! they implied.

While I was absolutely unstirred with their verbal and facial expressions, I couldn't help but see the ignorance in abundance in them.

How did I sense the ignorance if I was unstirred? Well, because I'm out conquering my fear. A fear that I am aware of. Am aware of because I acknowledged that weakness in me. I acknowledged it because I love myself and will go any length to see myself free of that evil.

The very fact that they reacted thus is because I minced no words and hid no facts. By not being ashamed or afraid of spelling out my weakness I thrashed out the first huge blow on the face of the ugly trespasser settled inside me.

Now tackling the 'ignorance' of my listeners - I don't claim every one of them who reacted in disapproval need help to speak. But all of them definitely could do with some logic.

How can a journalist join a speaking forum is akin to asking how can your physician not operate upon your heart? Or how can a support desk staff not know how to build a software program? Or how can a wrestler be afraid of a snake? Or why can’t all cricketers ball and bat and keep wicket?

A dentist is a dentist first a doctor second. A cardiologist is a cardiologist first and doctor second. And so is an ophthalmologist or gynecologist or any other medical ologist.

Similarly, a mechanical engineer cannot fix your electrical cable or an architectural engineer weld chunks of heavy metal.

All engineers may be technicians but all technicians are not engineers. All surgeons are doctors but not all doctors are surgeons. All professors are teachers but not all teachers are professors. All painters are artists but not all artists are painters. All hair stylists are barbers but not all barbers are hair stylists. All chefs are cooks but not all cooks are chefs. So also all reporters are journalists but not all journalists are reporters - Period.

Only as you narrow down and zero-in on specializations and hone those particular skills are you entitled to specific titles? Until then you loiter in the broader corridors of professionalism.

And when you set out to do that you may encounter some hidden skeletons suppressing you with its magical powers, and to undo which you may require immense courage.

The faster you muster that courage, the quicker you get to be free. That is only if you are 'AWARE' that you need to work on yourself.

Always remember, no human being is perfect as yet not to harbour at least one irky snooper.

P.S: If you harbour the fear of speaking and are AWARE it resides inside you, then you are at the right place. I've decided to share my battle with the spoken word on this blog. If you choose to join me in the war, rest assured you'll be victorious for I BELIEVE in myself.