Show and Tell

It's Time For Show and Tell!

One of the highlights of my Kindergarten experience was show and tell. What better way was there to flex on classmates than to get up in front of the class & tell them how you leveled up in life. I remember how proud I was when learned to tie my shoe laces six months after everyone else (Shout out to the SpongeBob Shoe lace song!)

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On one particular Show and Tell I had nothing to show, but when everyone's hands rose excited to share, I followed the heard and decided I wanted to share too! We all just wanted to be the kid who started a conversation, got people to be so impressed they asked questions, laughed, or expressed awe with a "WOW!"

As the teacher picked on my raised hand, it hit me... it might be important to have something to actually show or tell. So as I walked in front of the class, I thought, what could I tell?

I remembered something my mom was excited about the night before. So I proudly stood before the class and, expecting the same excitement my mother expressed the night before, told them, "My Grandma is in Sugarland!"

No response, so I waited for it to hit them.

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It's funny how the only thing louder than noise is silence.

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My teacher threw a lifeline when she asked " What's Sugarland?"

Unfortunately, I hadn't thought that far ahead; I had no clue what Sugarland was. Honestly, I thought it was an amusement park like six Flags; maybe 5-year old me figured, my grandma risking a heart attack riding rollercoasters at Astro world get these kids amped! I mean risking your life at Astroworld wasn't a thing until recently, but I guess I was ahead of my time.

Later that night, I learned that Sugarland is a suburb in Houston, the only issue is that my elementary school was a 32-hour drive away in Calgary, Canada. So my classmates were just as clueless as I was.

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That embarrassment reminds me of how impactful emotions can be on memory

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I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. - Maya Angelou

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I think that is why I remember this story so well. It's impressive how the stronger the emotion attached to a memory  the stronger it sticks around.

So defeated & and with only blank stares and the odd cough as a response, I sat down deflated. My earliest memory of getting on stage... and I flopped.

"WOW!"

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As I start posting online, I hope this story serves as a reminder to myself (and hopefully others).

- Know your audience
- Know what you are talking about
- Know why it matters
- Let it be something YOU are excited about
- Lastly, if you gonna wing it. It better be good!

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InshAllah this edition of Show and Tell is more successful.

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