Write about your strongest memory of heart-pounding belly-twisting nervousness: what caused the adrenaline? Was it justified? How did you respond?

It was suggested that I quickly run for an office of Secretary in the AFSCME Union I agreed. I was not nervous, I casually walked up to speak I carried a piece of paper which spoke about me in glowing terms. The problem was the glowing terms were written to be left on the table for interested voters to read. I had been so pleased with the high praise that I must have felt nothing could go wrong. That was until I looked at the Union Members, all waiting for a poised confident speech.  The members looked disgruntled I had not realized what the faces of the opposition might look like. They looked like a New York crowd waiting for entertainment, not only did they expect to be wowed by me but they expected a prepared speaker something, I was not. I felt like I was going to perish I mumbled a few words trailing off with” we need new blood!”

I asked members in my corner why they did not help me out or ask me a question. They gently told me they could not think of anything to ask the terrified me. Oddly I heard the opposition repeating my only contribution ” we need new blood”!

Years later, while listing to an educational channel the topic was” How to speak confidently by practicing ones speach”.  I had a very dry ah ha moment.
I did attempt to speak again for a business writing class I used humour. I was comfortable , invincible, entertaining! I   heard the laughs, and was in my element this was so easy! There was one problem, I did not remember one word that I said. Not one sylable, nada, zero nothing ?