The hubbub of the audience beyond gave me creeps as I stood like an ice statue behind the curtain. I was in my kindergarten then and my parents were also there as part of the audience to witness my performance in a stage play that was coming up next. I could feel the heaviness of my breath as the announcement went by and the curtain went up. I could feel my legs shaking and I just did not move an inch. I continued to stand there like a statue. It was the play of the popular kindergarten story "The Monkey and the Cap Seller". I was the cap seller and I had to make the first moves in the play and here I stood like a rock instead. My friend Simon, who was supposed to be the monkey, was all active as he was supposed to be and waiting for my move. My parents urged me with signs and gestures from where they sat so that I would overcome my frozen state, but I just stood there. Many in the audience smiled, giggled and cajoled and nothing worked. Soon the curtains came down and I was taken off from the stage.
I never ventured into a stage activities for the next six years and then made my next attempt at small public speaking opportunities at school. Although the start was shaky, I managed it well as I was fluent in my language. But still, I was not that natural and free through the first ten minutes while I got onto the stage anytime. I always felt conscious until these initial hiccups went by each time and thereafter I could see that I became stronger. To beat this jittery patch, I made several plans. The plan that I put to use mostly, was to get behind the stage early and have a feel of the audience before my turn came in so that I got used to the crowd. With the passage of time, I was on stage several times as part of presentations and seminars and these strategies worked well for me. But still, when suddenly put on a stage in front of a huge crowd, I would still get the flutter of wild butterflies deep in my tummy.
I also noticed that many times I would get this same funny feel while waiting for lifts at my office. I would be close to the lift door waiting and suddenly the lift would open with people jam packed inside. Each of them would look into my eyes and I would be taken unawares. There would be nothing I could do looking at each of them and for the span less than a minute that the lift door took to close, all eyes would be at me. I would move away from that spot or shift my eyes away.
One day I witnessed a young recruit handle this situation with such grace. I was inside the jam packed lift and as soon as it opened, I saw this young gentleman with inquisitive eyes and a sly smile assess the situation quickly and then make a graceful bow. It was really an amusing scene for all of us as he remained outside with a smile on his face. A few days later, I saw the same gentleman again while I was inside a lift which was not really jam packed, but seemingly so. And this time he was quick to discern and very beautifully handled the situation. "I think Madam, you can move a little to the left and Sir, you could just step a little backwards, so that this little soul can find a place" he said to a very senior lady and gentleman in the lift and beautifully created space where all of us inside thought was really impossible. After this happening, my respect for him grew all the more. At those moments I really wished that I had been so bold, cool and graceful when I was young. But many times a chunk of any trait comes with the genes and thereafter we get to work on it and polish it further. But I see possibilities and I believe this is an uplifting trait to have.
You can have some more taste of my writing through my books. Visit them at:
A Pearl From Every Oyster - India Link
Indelible Eternal Etchings - Poetry- USA Link
I never ventured into a stage activities for the next six years and then made my next attempt at small public speaking opportunities at school. Although the start was shaky, I managed it well as I was fluent in my language. But still, I was not that natural and free through the first ten minutes while I got onto the stage anytime. I always felt conscious until these initial hiccups went by each time and thereafter I could see that I became stronger. To beat this jittery patch, I made several plans. The plan that I put to use mostly, was to get behind the stage early and have a feel of the audience before my turn came in so that I got used to the crowd. With the passage of time, I was on stage several times as part of presentations and seminars and these strategies worked well for me. But still, when suddenly put on a stage in front of a huge crowd, I would still get the flutter of wild butterflies deep in my tummy.
I also noticed that many times I would get this same funny feel while waiting for lifts at my office. I would be close to the lift door waiting and suddenly the lift would open with people jam packed inside. Each of them would look into my eyes and I would be taken unawares. There would be nothing I could do looking at each of them and for the span less than a minute that the lift door took to close, all eyes would be at me. I would move away from that spot or shift my eyes away.
One day I witnessed a young recruit handle this situation with such grace. I was inside the jam packed lift and as soon as it opened, I saw this young gentleman with inquisitive eyes and a sly smile assess the situation quickly and then make a graceful bow. It was really an amusing scene for all of us as he remained outside with a smile on his face. A few days later, I saw the same gentleman again while I was inside a lift which was not really jam packed, but seemingly so. And this time he was quick to discern and very beautifully handled the situation. "I think Madam, you can move a little to the left and Sir, you could just step a little backwards, so that this little soul can find a place" he said to a very senior lady and gentleman in the lift and beautifully created space where all of us inside thought was really impossible. After this happening, my respect for him grew all the more. At those moments I really wished that I had been so bold, cool and graceful when I was young. But many times a chunk of any trait comes with the genes and thereafter we get to work on it and polish it further. But I see possibilities and I believe this is an uplifting trait to have.
You can have some more taste of my writing through my books. Visit them at:
A Pearl From Every Oyster - India Link
Indelible Eternal Etchings - Poetry- USA Link
