Speech 6: Vocal Variety
- Does your voice put your audience to sleep? Does it put you to sleep?
- Do you find it hard to convey emotions with your voice?
- Are you easy to listen to, or does your voice let you down?
The sixth Toastmasters speech project guides you to harness the power of your own voice. This article of the Toastmasters Speech Series examines the primary goals of this project, provides tips and techniques, and links to numerous sample speeches.
Why is This Speech Important?
- pace,
- pitch,
- power, and
- pauses.
Mr.
Toastmaster...fellow Toastmasters,
I used
to ride horses alot when I lived in Georgia. Had you ever watched me, you
would think I was a natural. Had you stuck around to see me get off and stand
next to the horse, you would realize I was no longer the girl who sat so
bravely on the saddle.
Maybe
it is because I am so small. Or maybe because when I am in the
saddle with a handle on the horse's reins, I know I am safe. Even though
the bit which is in the horse's mouth is so small, it is the key to steering
this massive, gentle animal. How can something so small as a bit be the
key to controlling a horse's direction?
It is
the same with ships. No matter the size, the ships are controlled but by
a small helm, or steering wheel. By a flick of the wrist, the ship is
able to turn this way or that. No matter the wind, the waves, or the
amount of weight it carries, it is controlled by this small integral part of
the ship.
These
examples illustrate how the next few verses I will read have haunted me for many
years. In short it says, "The tongue is a little member. But how great a bmatter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a
fire that no man can tame. It is an bunruly evil, full of deadly poison."
How
many of you have ever gotten in trouble because you let your tongue
get away from you? You just had to say that one thing. One of my
favorite nicknames in high school was "Mouth of the south." I earned
that nickname. I talked alot. I still do, but imagine how much I
talk now, and triple that. Being involved in many people's lives, you start to
get involved with their trials and challenges also. I guess that is where the
trouble comes in. I am very bold when I have an opinion. I stand up
for what I think is right and sometimes I step on toes to accomplish that.
How
can we be so kind and just one moment, and yet, our tongues best us the next?
I can't tell you all the times my mouth has gotten me in trouble. I
am one of those really blunt loud-mouths who has to say exactly how I feel or
I'm going to burst. Following the outburst, there is a moment of
satisfaction, and then a world of regret.
It
seems the better I know the person, the more I am more likely to do this.
I justify that this person would know me enough that it wouldn't bother
them. I am always wrong about that. No one likes to hear
correction. No one likes criticism. No one likes to be told that
they are not doing enough. And I seem to have a full bucket of
corrections, criticisms and things for them to do my way.
Essentially
tongues are the epitome of who we are. Even though a very small member of
our bodies, as I said before, a tongue is a fire. We may do many kind deeds in
life like serving at a soup kitchen, or volunteering at the Blood drive.
We may visit the sick or the needy. We may even change a person's
life for the better. But as soon as we say something that hurts another,
all of those acts of kindness burn and turn to ash. Later in this chapter
I have read from, it says, "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
I had
an “aha moment” as I sat reading these verses. How could I profess
to be one person, but allow myself to let these daggers and swords escape my
tongue? And then the memories started to roll in. I thought of all
the many broken relationships that I've had where I had to say that last part
and scare them to high heaven. I thought of the many times I had to get
the last word in an argument with my parents and then to top it off with a door
slam. I thought of all the many petty fights I had with my girlfriends
back in high school and college that left damaged friendships left and right.
Who would I be today if I would have found some duct tape for my mouth?
What relationships and friendships would I have prevented from harm if I
would have just closed this "mouth of the south?"
Unfortunately,
I have had many experiences where bitter water has flowed fitfully from my
mouth. It seemed I was unable to stop it. Or I just didn't want to.
What I had to say needed to be said eventually and why not be the one to
say it? That person would eventually get over it and would realize the
credit of me saying it to them in the first place. Maybe not right away,
but one day.
But
who am I to ruin their course of life? Ultimately, I cannot change who
they are. I can lovingly suggest and lead and guide, but I do not even
have the right to do that in most cases. I guess there really is no
point in looking back. Although, I do think recognition of weaknesses is
power. I don't want to be one of those people that builds hundreds of bridges
that benefit others, and then burn them all down with hurtful words and wrong
decisions made by my unruly tongue. Taming the tongue will not be
easy. But I think of all those times where my tongue has gotten me into
trouble. Times where my tongue has ruined relationships for good.
And I am sure it will be worth it.
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