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From: Russ Hicks
Date: 11 Oct 2004
Time: 13:13:31 -0500
Remote Name: 24.1.53.111
Hi Shawna, Yes, you've hit the nail right on the head! I definitely felt BETTER about everything. Shocked yes, but definitely very happy and pleased with how other people remembered me. I remember feeling that my old classmates, even the cheerleaders and the jocks and other people who wouldn't give me the time of day back then, were SO NICE today! They asked questions about friends and family and we talked far into the night about everything. It was truly a WONDERFUL experience! To be honest, I was quite amazed at how little my stuttering meant to the others - especially my old "girlfriend" who didn't remember it at all! How could something that important TO ME be so insignificant to other people? My jaw was on the ground! But that's the way it was, but I reveled in all the friendships that came back to me. I had a real blast there! Your statement "Many children believe that their speech shapes who they are..." describes a very common belief. We - at least at that age - are all so SELF CENTERED. And that leads us into thinking things that simply are not true! Big noses, little ears, too fat, too skinny, too short, too tall, glasses, hair, all sorts of things we get so hung up about, are simply NOT that big a deal to other people. In your work in Early Childhood Development, you should teach that fact - if you can. It may take a 2X4 to get that into most people's heads, but just because you deny a truth does not make it any less true. Good luck in school! I hope you are enjoying this conference! Russ