Thanks To My Stutter, I'm Never Lost For Words

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Re: you are not lost for words.

From: Alan Badmington (to Katie)
Date: 06 Oct 2008
Time: 04:59:10 -0500
Remote Name: 195.194.75.225

Comments

Hi Katie, Thank you, so much, for reading and then responding to my paper. It was kind of you to write in such a vein. We don’t change our behaviours by retaining the status quo – we need to be pro-active. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…You must do the things you think you cannot do.” I totally agree – that’s exactly what I have done. Personal growth occurs when we venture beyond our existing comfort zones. If we conquer something that has challenged our advancement, we grow in stature. When we overcome hurdles, it opens our eyes to possibilities that we could never have imagined. The more we expand, the more confident we become in our own ability. Regularly stepping outside my comfort zone, and treading less familiar paths, has greatly enhanced my existence (and improved my speech). You mention that you would like to hear me speaking. May I respectfully suggest two possible options? :-) Firstly, you might wish to visit the 2004 ISAD Online Conference, to which I contributed the following poems. There are facilities to listen to me reciting the poems online – although the recordings were made four years, when I had less intonation in my voice. ‘Changing the words around’ http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad7/papers/badmington7/badmington17.html ‘Everyone’s Different’ http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad7/papers/badmington7/badmington27.html Secondly, I would be delighted to telephone you on some future occasion, provided (of course) you are happy with that arrangement. I regularly call persons associated with stuttering in many parts of the world as a means of further expanding my comfort zone. Even Professor Judy Kuster received an unexpected call from me several years ago and we have since chatted on many occasions. You don’t have to decide right now – please give it consideration. If you feel that you would like to chat, then may I suggest that you email me PRIVATELY with your contact number, as it would be unwise to make such details available on an open forum such as this. My email address is included in my article. Thank you, once again, for taking the time to provide me with feedback. Kindest regards Alan


Last changed: 10/06/08