It amazes me how, in this day and age, the way we articulate our words alters people’s perceptions of us. I am amazed at people’s ignorance when it comes to how I say words. Amazed that I can be treated so differently because it takes me longer to say a word or a sentence. Amazed that there is still such a stigma associated with stuttering.
David Stones is a semi-retired business executive and CEO. He divides his time between Toronto and Stratford, Ontario volunteering in support of the world renowned Stratford Shakespeare Festival and the town's rich cultural heritage. He is also a writer and a person who stutters. He read from his book of poetry, Infinite Sequels, on Tuesday November 19th at the Arts and Letters Club in Toronto.
Let's face it. When it come to pursuing someone of romantic interest, even at the best of times it can be a challenging task. Even more so when our means to communicate is made more difficult by our stutter.
In my years working in social services I have been able to observe human behavior in many different retrospections. When it comes to taking chances of any kind, there is risk involved. But in many ways, pursuing a romantic interest holds a greater fear for those of us that stutter.
If there is one thing I can say I have learned, it is the joy of being a single father of a child with special needs. This is a joy that can be so intense that laughing is not merely enough to celebrate it. I have learned to cry tears of joy, and to smile during the toughest of times with my child. No matter how small the accomplishment might be, it deserves to be celebrated. For when we look back it will be those little hurdles that our children overcome that will carry the biggest reward. Each hurdle is a little miracle in itself.
Where can I buy some self-esteem? How expensive is it? Where and how is it manufactured? These questions may sound absurd but this is how most people tend to treat self-esteem: like it is a scarce resource that must be cultivated and protected with the goal in life to get as much self-esteem as possible.
I can truly say my single greatest accomplishment in life is being a parent. A parent with a stutter. To my daughters, though, I am not "a dad that stutters", but just dad. Early on I instilled in them to have acceptance and respect for people. This is a core value that will help shape my how my daughters view and treat others. I truly feel that teaching our children to be accepting of others is best done through real-life experience. By that, I mean showing our children that we can be comfortable in our own skin, even when we are not perfect. This is, of course, a lot easier said than done, yet definitely a life lesson worth teaching.