In honor of American Thanksgiving... this is what I'm thankful for today:
1. I am thankful for a God who never changes because people in this world change all that time and it's exhausting.
That's it, that's all. Continue on with your lives.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
A Rant About Stuttering
I need to rant today.
Things People Should Know About Stuttering:
1. Having a stutter DOES NOT make me less of a person. I have a flaw in the eyes of the world, big whoop, everyone does. Personally, I don't view it as a flaw, I view it as a challenge God has given me so that I can learn to be more dependent on Him.
2. I am NOT LESS CAPABLE of doing my job because I have a stutter. I may not speak as eloquently sometimes as some might hope, but it does not get in the way of me doing my job and being awesome at it.
3. It is not a SMALL problem. It's a big problem. It affects my life, it affects my decisions. I often order things in a restaurant based on whether or not I will stutter over a word. I've learned to quickly replace words during conversation if I know I'm going to have trouble with one. That's not small.
4. It has very little to do with NERVOUSNESS. I stutter because sometimes my vocal cords have trouble getting the word out, NOT because I'm nervous. I stutter in front of people I'm completely comfortable with. It has everything to do with the sound of the word.
5. Personally, the letter I have the most trouble with is J. Which, unfortunately, my name starts with. So if I'm introducing myself and I stutter over my own name, DON'T make a joke about me forgetting my own name. People have done that. Professional people have done that, and it's hurtful.
6. Please do not CORRECT me or HELP me out when I'm stuttering over a word. It's humiliating enough that I can't say a simple word. Don't say the word for me like I'm a child that doesn't know the word. I'm 21, I probably know the word. Let me get there. Teachers have done this.
7. This is one of the reasons I don't like to pray out loud. Yes, I know that God can understand what I'm trying to say, but He can also understand me when I pray silently. In my head.
8. Listing off names of famous people who stuttered is NOT COMFORTING. I don't want to hear about Winston Churchill or that movie with Colin Firth. Different person, different situation.
9. Yes, I've tried speech-therapy-type things. Including that little "reading out loud every day" thing that helped Noah get over his stutter in the Notebook, so don't mention it.
10. And please don't say it's adorable. It's not adorable to me.
That is all, carry on.
Things People Should Know About Stuttering:
1. Having a stutter DOES NOT make me less of a person. I have a flaw in the eyes of the world, big whoop, everyone does. Personally, I don't view it as a flaw, I view it as a challenge God has given me so that I can learn to be more dependent on Him.
2. I am NOT LESS CAPABLE of doing my job because I have a stutter. I may not speak as eloquently sometimes as some might hope, but it does not get in the way of me doing my job and being awesome at it.
3. It is not a SMALL problem. It's a big problem. It affects my life, it affects my decisions. I often order things in a restaurant based on whether or not I will stutter over a word. I've learned to quickly replace words during conversation if I know I'm going to have trouble with one. That's not small.
4. It has very little to do with NERVOUSNESS. I stutter because sometimes my vocal cords have trouble getting the word out, NOT because I'm nervous. I stutter in front of people I'm completely comfortable with. It has everything to do with the sound of the word.
5. Personally, the letter I have the most trouble with is J. Which, unfortunately, my name starts with. So if I'm introducing myself and I stutter over my own name, DON'T make a joke about me forgetting my own name. People have done that. Professional people have done that, and it's hurtful.
6. Please do not CORRECT me or HELP me out when I'm stuttering over a word. It's humiliating enough that I can't say a simple word. Don't say the word for me like I'm a child that doesn't know the word. I'm 21, I probably know the word. Let me get there. Teachers have done this.
7. This is one of the reasons I don't like to pray out loud. Yes, I know that God can understand what I'm trying to say, but He can also understand me when I pray silently. In my head.
8. Listing off names of famous people who stuttered is NOT COMFORTING. I don't want to hear about Winston Churchill or that movie with Colin Firth. Different person, different situation.
9. Yes, I've tried speech-therapy-type things. Including that little "reading out loud every day" thing that helped Noah get over his stutter in the Notebook, so don't mention it.
10. And please don't say it's adorable. It's not adorable to me.
That is all, carry on.
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