Post by SilverFox Jams on Nov 13, 2014 12:52:20 GMT -5
Have a feel-good story, by me. I hope it inspires and uplifts someone, old or young, introverted or not.
How many of you here ever stepped up and just did something you wanted to do, whether it’s in front of people you know or strangers? Like it’s no big deal?
I had this opportunity and just did it, way back when. Because of that, it was the starting point of a long mental and emotional journey to who I am now. This is a rather amazing story I've always remembered.
I forget most of middle school, which is probably a good thing. I felt that half of my peers at school were giving me a hard time for being so quiet and not opening up much around people. I guess I was a bit of a loner back then.
I felt the most comfortable at home, or whenever I visited an aunt and uncle during a month or two of my summer vacation. I believe it was at my relatives, and for some moments I was by myself that summer, thinking about how unhappy I’ve been throughout seventh grade. I felt like an outcast. I wanted to change, and open up. There was no way of letting people know that I was cool, and that I was a person—and not an “it”, like some immature girl in social studies class had said about me once. (She was either failing to say it quietly so I wouldn’t hear that, or wanted me to hear that. I did anyway, and I really don't know if she as an adult will really change. Last time I ever heard of her, years back, she dropped out of high school.)
I wasn’t just someone to annoy or harass. I didn’t like being that, or being called an "it". I promised myself that by eighth grade, things would be different.
I didn’t know what to expect, but someone Up There sure knew the way I could bring about the change. It took a while, but the time eventually came! And I truly had the willpower to make the change.
The Eighth Grade Beach Party dance. My final year at middle school was coming to a close, and for some reason I didn’t mind going to that event. I don’t remember if I knew about the karaoke machine ahead of time, but there definitely was one, and a hired DJ guy who played the music who was in charge of it.
Those who stood up and sang with friends were having a good time, though they either couldn’t be heard, or couldn’t sing real well, lol. But I listened and watched those people up there anyway.
I was close to the auditorium stage when I saw the artist and the song flash up on the blue screen, followed by some lyric text. This is one I still like very much by Nirvana; Smells Like Teen Spirit. My automatic thought was, Oh HELL YEAH, I wanna sing that! In thinking about that now, I’m still surprised that the DJ let me sing the song! He couldn’t play it on request but he did let me sing it. It’s something of an obscure song, and no one seemed to have a problem with me over this.
I sang up there, all by myself. I didn’t care about anything but having fun, and I wasn’t nervous—not at all! I think because I took choir classes made me comfortable singing in front of strangers. Or most of my peers for that matter.
So, I sang and had fun. Even waved an arm up in the air on the “Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello” once (God I must have looked dorky doing that haha) and a crowd was singing it with me and having a good time too. My mom was crying tears of joy as she took a picture of me singing up there. The DJ in the background of the picture looked like he seemed to be in the zone on this too.
By the time it was all over, a classmate I knew was shouting at me, “Yeah, Marianne! Yeah! YOU RULE!” XD I always find that part a bit funny. I also remember he never said anything like that to me before those epic few minutes.
Gosh, and my ego got a bit more boost when I won a prize for having the best singing voice. It was this really big beach ball, nothing all that special now—but still, back then! A prize!
Then, during what little of eighth grade was left, I was seen differently. I was on my way to gradually being a happier person, and talking to people and not being so withdrawn anymore. If I hadn't gone up and sang, then I still would have been picked on a lot when it came to high school.
How many of you here ever stepped up and just did something you wanted to do, whether it’s in front of people you know or strangers? Like it’s no big deal?
I had this opportunity and just did it, way back when. Because of that, it was the starting point of a long mental and emotional journey to who I am now. This is a rather amazing story I've always remembered.
I forget most of middle school, which is probably a good thing. I felt that half of my peers at school were giving me a hard time for being so quiet and not opening up much around people. I guess I was a bit of a loner back then.
I felt the most comfortable at home, or whenever I visited an aunt and uncle during a month or two of my summer vacation. I believe it was at my relatives, and for some moments I was by myself that summer, thinking about how unhappy I’ve been throughout seventh grade. I felt like an outcast. I wanted to change, and open up. There was no way of letting people know that I was cool, and that I was a person—and not an “it”, like some immature girl in social studies class had said about me once. (She was either failing to say it quietly so I wouldn’t hear that, or wanted me to hear that. I did anyway, and I really don't know if she as an adult will really change. Last time I ever heard of her, years back, she dropped out of high school.)
I wasn’t just someone to annoy or harass. I didn’t like being that, or being called an "it". I promised myself that by eighth grade, things would be different.
I didn’t know what to expect, but someone Up There sure knew the way I could bring about the change. It took a while, but the time eventually came! And I truly had the willpower to make the change.
The Eighth Grade Beach Party dance. My final year at middle school was coming to a close, and for some reason I didn’t mind going to that event. I don’t remember if I knew about the karaoke machine ahead of time, but there definitely was one, and a hired DJ guy who played the music who was in charge of it.
Those who stood up and sang with friends were having a good time, though they either couldn’t be heard, or couldn’t sing real well, lol. But I listened and watched those people up there anyway.
I was close to the auditorium stage when I saw the artist and the song flash up on the blue screen, followed by some lyric text. This is one I still like very much by Nirvana; Smells Like Teen Spirit. My automatic thought was, Oh HELL YEAH, I wanna sing that! In thinking about that now, I’m still surprised that the DJ let me sing the song! He couldn’t play it on request but he did let me sing it. It’s something of an obscure song, and no one seemed to have a problem with me over this.
I sang up there, all by myself. I didn’t care about anything but having fun, and I wasn’t nervous—not at all! I think because I took choir classes made me comfortable singing in front of strangers. Or most of my peers for that matter.
So, I sang and had fun. Even waved an arm up in the air on the “Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello” once (God I must have looked dorky doing that haha) and a crowd was singing it with me and having a good time too. My mom was crying tears of joy as she took a picture of me singing up there. The DJ in the background of the picture looked like he seemed to be in the zone on this too.
By the time it was all over, a classmate I knew was shouting at me, “Yeah, Marianne! Yeah! YOU RULE!” XD I always find that part a bit funny. I also remember he never said anything like that to me before those epic few minutes.
Gosh, and my ego got a bit more boost when I won a prize for having the best singing voice. It was this really big beach ball, nothing all that special now—but still, back then! A prize!
Then, during what little of eighth grade was left, I was seen differently. I was on my way to gradually being a happier person, and talking to people and not being so withdrawn anymore. If I hadn't gone up and sang, then I still would have been picked on a lot when it came to high school.
