Backstage To Podium

That day was full of nervousness. She was sitting on the bench backstage and listening to the anchor announcing her name, asking her to address the auditorium full of students. There were sitting teachers, parents and the honorable chief guest -Chancellor of the university, which further increased her hesitation. She walked from the backstage to podium at the centre of the stage, which was the most troubled walk of her life. She reached the stage and hold the mic. Chancellor was sitting in front of her, next to the vice-chancellor and other major guests from the university.

Her hands were shivering with fear and she started losing confidence. She felt that she couldn't conduct the speech. She even forgot the topic, but she had to do that. Somehow, with her stuttering language, she wished the viewers and started speaking on the topic, but suddenly she lost her control over her tongue and fluently spoke for half an hour. In the end, she looked at her friend sitting on the middle row and recording her speech, stood up, and gave a big clap. She thanked her for her encouragement with her smile and turned back. She knew that she did all this as a friend, but actually, she did not notice, the standing audience. She never thought that she gave an amazing speech and received great applause for that. After 5 minutes her teacher came and praised her speech a lot. She got amazed. That was the same teacher who ignored her many times during her class and who never considered her as an anchor on an annual day. What happened today. She was really surprised, but this amazement was increased when the teacher took her to the chancellor who asked her to give a speech on the foundation day. She returned to the bench. It was really a dream day for her. But she realized that they were not praising her but were showing her own image in a mirror. 

That was not the first time that she addressed the huge crowd, but she did it many times. Up to 10th standard, she did it many times, but actually on every occasion, whether it is the annual day, farewell or teachers day. She was not provided with a nice voice but have an accent that she could bind the spectators for a long while. But when her school has changed, she lost her confidence. She thought of herself as a worthless fellow, but after this incident, She knew her abilities. She refills her confidence and decided to sharpen her talent.

And after 18 years of that incidence, again sitting on the chair and listening to the anchor calling her name, but today not on the backstage, but at the front of an audience as a chief guest, a motivational speaker and a philanthropist.