Michael, age 10, is preparing to do his first comprehensive public speaking tomorrow. He is doing an expert report on the beginnings of animation. He has prepared a PowerPoint presentation, he has visual aides, he has practiced and practiced. The child has presence, impeccable timing, and good body language. I must say, I am impressed!!! It's not perfect though, we are talking about Michael. He is a special kid, with a fantastic sense of humor......but, he also has a complete lack of self awareness. He could be in front of that group with dirt on his face, snot running out of his nose, and spit slurring every word, and it wouldn't phase him a bit. He has that special brand of confidence that can't be duplicated. I love that about him, but find myself forever nagging him about his lack of neatness (that is kinder than the term I usually use). His brand of confidence is definitely something you are born with, a spiritual gift. I vow to guard it carefully, and not dampen it, even if it means my kid has a perpetual dirt mark on his cheek, lol.
I am helping to prepare a baby shower for a young woman at our church. She is young, just 22. Thinking about her, and what the future may hold for her and her little family, got me to thinking about life at 22. Much has changed for me since I was 22. That was really a difficult time. I didn't realize at the time that it was difficult. I had graduated from college, was having a post college, pre-real life, super good time. I was bar tending, partying, picking up and traveling to far away places to party some more. I didn't really have much in the way of financial responsibility yet, and my parents were living in Egypt-- leaving me in charge of the house and my younger sister. It was an "out all night, sleep all day", kind of life. To be honest, I was setting a pretty poor example for my sister, who at the time was working full-time at a nursing home, and was far more responsible than I was. Looking back at that time, and even later, till about age 25, it make...
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