Thursday, August 26, 2010:
We now have a Gavel Club here at Marianna. It’s affiliated with Toastmasters International and allows us to practice our public speaking skills. I gave my first speech today, which is supposed to be about myself, and is called an Ice Breaker. Here it is:
Good afternoon fellow Gavel Club members. My name is David and I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1969. Four historical events took place that year that kind of correlate with a few of my interests and hobbies. First, in the summer of that year, man first set foot on the moon. Second, Charles Manson and his “family” committed their atrocious murders. Third, Hurricane Camille thrashed the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast, and fourth, in December of that year, the Beatles played live together for the last time.
The greatest thing about the moon landing to me is that it exemplifies my belief that we can do anything if we just set our minds to it and believe in it. One of my favorite quotes is by Carly Fiorna who said, “Progress is not made by the cynics and doubters. It is made by those who believe anything is possible.” My whole life I’ve had other people tell me what I can and can’t do and I listened to them and I set limits on myself. That was until I started reading about people like ultra-marathon runner Dean Karnazes. This guy ran 350 miles without stopping except for a little first-aid for blisters and such. Never let anyone tell you that you’re not smart enough, not talented enough, or too old to do anything. Those are artificial limits imposed upon us by the cynics and doubters.
Now you may be wondering how Charles Manson could influence me in any way. Well, he didn’t exactly influence me, but this is one of the bleaker events of 1969, and I was in the womb when it happened. Unfortunately, I’ve spent a lot of time in prison and it seems my life has been darkness and light intertwined. I’ve always been interested in the dark side of human nature and the psychology of evil. One of my favorite books is Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It’s about Raskolnikov, a young university student in 19th century Russia. Raskolnikov becomes enthralled with Napolean and how Napolean could was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands and still was considered a great human being by many. Raskolnikov convinces himself that he can rob and murder a pawn shop owner and do a hundred good deeds with the money. He believes the good deeds will more than compensate for the murder and redeem him. Well, after the murder, his conscience tortures him and he goes crazy instead. One of my ambitions is to be a writer, and this is the subject matter I would most like to write about.
Then there was Hurricane Camille. My life’s been much like a hurricane. Because of my addiction to drugs and alcohol, I ripped through the lives of those I loved the most. Every good thing was destroyed in my wake, and I was left with nothing when the storm dissipated. But after a hurricane, there is a long process of recovery and rebuilding, and eventually everything is better than before. Adapting to and overcoming adversity is one of the greatest traits of the human race. This is what I hope to happen with my own life. This is my trial by fire, and when all is said and done, I hope to be a better person, not in spite of, but because of the storm I’ve endured.
And 1969 ended with the last live performance of the Beatles, one month after I was born. Music is one of my biggest passions. I was collecting vinyl records of my favorite bands when other kids my age were still playing with Tonka Trucks and Hot Wheels. I just had to have every record by the Beatles, Styx, AC/DC, Led Zepellin, Aerosmith, and many more. Even though the Beatles existed only one month into my life, they’ve been a big influence on me and on the music I still listen to. Surely without them I would never have learned how to play the guitar.
Well, that’s four of my passions and how they’re related to the events of 1969: running, writing, recovery, and rock and roll. The funny thing is, here I am in prison, with my freedom severely restricted, and I can still fully engage in each one of these pastimes. Thank you.
Buy Running Away From Me as a Kindle format ebook.
