The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while the fear of public speaking kept them there.

That was last year.

Time to deploy the New Year’s Resolutions, folks! If fear of public speaking is one of yours – and studies keep saying people rank it ahead of actually dying – the first step is to tackle it, baby step by baby step, in a supportive environment. Come to a Toastmasters meeting.

That’s the PSA part of today’s blog.

VanCore members don’t need reminding. They know how important it is to get up there, on something like a regular basis, and just be … exposed. You can practice in a mirror all you want, but a mirror’s not going to give you much feedback. (Unless it’s one of those circus mirrors that makes you look skinny – in which case that’s feedback you can’t really trust.)

This week’s meeting, first of the new year, saw a big turnout of familiar faces. Members who had drifted away for a few months (Kate, Ray) were back with bells on. They aired jokes they had heard over the holidays, inspirations they had been quietly crafting.

Club president Connie’s recent working holiday to Brazil gave her fodder for an evocative, count-your-blessings speech on the slums there — truly some of the world’s most dire.

If John’s “impromptu” speech seemed unusually polished, well, that’s because he has been working on it for eight years. Eventually it will be a book. There’s no title yet but there is a theme. Never. Give. Up.

John’s whole life has followed that script. There have been devastating losses, but John always found a way to ride them out, re-up, and carry on better than before. That’s how “character” is made.

Let it be a lesson for all of us this year.

Shalom.