Are you a donkey or are you a jackass? 3.0

 ARE YOU A DONKEY OR ARE YOU A JACKASS 2.0

 

Friends:

I am sure we all know what a jackass is. And I wonder, how many of them are here today. Yet do you know that a jackass is a donkey? But a donkey does not necessarily act like a jackass?

 

          To illustrate my point, let me tell you a story about a donkey:

 

          One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway. It just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. So he decided to bury the donkey.

 

          All his neighbors came over to help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.  The donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly… then slowly he quieted down.

 

          A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, the donkey shook it off and took a step up. Pretty soon the well was filled with dirt. Everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted away.

 

          Indeed, like the donkey, we all get our share of  dirt shoveled at us. In  my Toastmaster Journey, one of those days was the area C2 contest held last February 12. I was speaker #1 for the C2 International speech contest. I delivered my speech entitled Thank You, Next and talked about the major challenges in my life and how I stood back up, learned from them, and got ready for the next challenge. My 6 minute speech during our practice sessions turned to 7 minutes and 27 seconds as I did not expect the crowd to react that much to my speech and the tabian in me made me slip in some adlibs here and there.  Friends who were there almost had a heart attack fearing I might go overtime. We were all feeling positive about it. 

 

And then the time of reckoning arrived. Everybody was waiting for the moment of truth I felt I had a chance. You know I was on a roll, I was on fire, I felt I did really well.  And Just like the first time I joined my first International Speech Contest in 2007, I felt I  had it in the bag. In fact,  Nino, Pria and I, who called ourselves the Sinulog dream team, all thought we would move on to the  Division level that day. But alas, I just finished second. Feeler ra diay ko! Hahah. I would be a hypocrite If I say I didn’t feel a tad sad about the results. I did. After all, I gave it my best shot. It made me ask, Am I good enough? I felt my piece and delivery were way better than my first contest,  I was more at ease, and I actually had fun. For a second,  I told myself I am never joining contests again! But then it immediately dawned on me, this is giving up! ONLY A JACKASS WOULD DO SUCH A THING!!

 

          Then I thought of the donkey. The farmer he served faithfully abandoned him  and the donkey must have been heartbroken. But what did the donkey do? Did he just roll over and die? No, sir! The donkey faced it  head-on and did not run/die away.  For every shovel load of dirt thrown upon him, the donkey shook the it off and took a step up.

 

          Yes! That was what I needed to do.  I should not act like a jackass and stay disheartened. I should be the donkey. I should not run away. I need to just shake it all off take a step up. And I will be alright. 

 

After the contest, people,  including our pambansang marites, EL, not Ernie Limkakeng, but Eugenie Lim,  had all these whys and theories in mind why I did not win, but what made me realize that  I was enough that day was that I believe I have reached my audience and inspired them. Lance Miller, 2006 Toastmasters World Champion for Public Speaking said “Even if you do not win the contest, you still win because you are actually making a difference in people’s lives.  The speech that most deeply touches the hearts and changes the mind of the audience is the one that wins.” And I believe I did that when I remember how the audience laughed, how they responded and nodded to stories of triumphs after my defeats, and when after my speech TM Darchee approached me and told me she was so inspired listening to my speech. I guess I won that day…although technically I lost. 

 

I am a donkey, and that last foray in the speech contest was just a stepping stone for me. I should not be disheartened, or rather, not stay disheartened. All I need to do is just shake it  off and take a step up: learn from that experience, deliver more speeches, and get ready for the next contest and come out better. Char. hahah 

 

Friends, Life is a constant challenge. Very often we find ourselves in a hole and getting shoveled with all kinds of dirt, may it be in our toastmaster journey, or in our daily lives.  The trick to getting out of the hole is to shake off the dirt and take a step up. Each of life’s challenges is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells by not quitting, by never giving up, by shaking off the dirt and taking a step up! The last competition was  just one challenge, I just shook it off and today I am stepping up…and who knows I might finally be able to bag that elusive International Speech Contest troph.  I choose to be a donkey, here in Toastmasters, and in life.  So should you. 

 

          So let me ask: Are you a jackass? Or are you a donkey?