Rainmakers Speech Tournament - 2005
Because You were there, I had nothing to worry about, yet spent countless minutes in silent conversation with You, as the many faces of those who only knew that part of me, passed me by in aimless direction. Were they talking with You so internally too? I am sorry my devotion to them was lacking on that day, but strangers to me, I feared speaking with them, mingling with their world, and chose to obscure myself with the vines of invisibility, that I might be seen, but my thoughts left to remain solely with You. Thank You for holding my hand when I was alone.
You sat in the back row of the room too small, and listened to me when words, certain and etched on the tablets of my heart, poured forth from my mouth. They trembled until You stilled them, the words that were not my own, but Yours. I remember Your gentle features, beaming because You were marveling at Your work, and gladly You came and stood by me, placing a strong hand on my shoulder, and whispering against my ear what You wanted me to say to them next. They could not see You there, but I could. Were You moving in the hearts of my audience? Did they find You evident, springing abundantly forth from my words? Could they look beyond my human insignificance, and see You? Let it be. Please.
We stood there, the three of us, to the side of the stage where lights were bright and encircling those beneath them. You. Me. Him. And I prayed it wouldn’t be me to take all the recognition, because I thought for certain it was reserved for him, and he fully deserved it. Entirely. So as we stood there, I could feel the expected company of warm tears settling on the brims of my eyes, both Your arm and his, securely around my shoulder for the moment was filled with eagerness, and acceptance.
I smiled at the sight of my best friend on stage with two others, waiting to be the one to award me, and marveled at how far she had come, how much she had grown, and all she had taught me when I needed the words of experience. Experience, yes, that I was gaining piece by piece, just as the friend who stood beside me was. You were molding us at the same time. But my head dropped slightly at the sound of his name called before mine. Was it meant to be that way? But I knew with the weight of the medal around my neck, his victory in achieving something great for you hung with it. We rejoiced together, brother and sister.
The many, numberless embraces of happiness followed soon after, as I was enveloped in a crowd of people, friend, and yet ... strangers. Can I belong to them too? You were among them, and I was refreshed at the feeling of You near me always, celebrating with us. And You were. So that I might turn the blessing back up to praise with every acknowledgment of the evening, praying from that day forward that my speech may be well seasoned with the richness of You.
You sat in the back row of the room too small, and listened to me when words, certain and etched on the tablets of my heart, poured forth from my mouth. They trembled until You stilled them, the words that were not my own, but Yours. I remember Your gentle features, beaming because You were marveling at Your work, and gladly You came and stood by me, placing a strong hand on my shoulder, and whispering against my ear what You wanted me to say to them next. They could not see You there, but I could. Were You moving in the hearts of my audience? Did they find You evident, springing abundantly forth from my words? Could they look beyond my human insignificance, and see You? Let it be. Please.
We stood there, the three of us, to the side of the stage where lights were bright and encircling those beneath them. You. Me. Him. And I prayed it wouldn’t be me to take all the recognition, because I thought for certain it was reserved for him, and he fully deserved it. Entirely. So as we stood there, I could feel the expected company of warm tears settling on the brims of my eyes, both Your arm and his, securely around my shoulder for the moment was filled with eagerness, and acceptance.
I smiled at the sight of my best friend on stage with two others, waiting to be the one to award me, and marveled at how far she had come, how much she had grown, and all she had taught me when I needed the words of experience. Experience, yes, that I was gaining piece by piece, just as the friend who stood beside me was. You were molding us at the same time. But my head dropped slightly at the sound of his name called before mine. Was it meant to be that way? But I knew with the weight of the medal around my neck, his victory in achieving something great for you hung with it. We rejoiced together, brother and sister.
The many, numberless embraces of happiness followed soon after, as I was enveloped in a crowd of people, friend, and yet ... strangers. Can I belong to them too? You were among them, and I was refreshed at the feeling of You near me always, celebrating with us. And You were. So that I might turn the blessing back up to praise with every acknowledgment of the evening, praying from that day forward that my speech may be well seasoned with the richness of You.
Thank you.
postato da Amanda | 5:13 PM
<< Home page