I don't really remember my age then but I remember my class. I was a Primary four student prepped and ready to recite a poem that I and my class teacher had been practicing for weeks. The day of the recital was on Graduation Day/End of the year party (as I am sure that most people here know what the party is) and I was determined to break a leg or two.

So, few weeks before that day, I found an empty notebook and practiced my poem by writing it countless times. I also recited it in front of my Mom at home and my class teacher at school. Days before the party, I had followed my Mom and my little sister to the market and I oicked out yhe most beautiful dress to wear. I even picked the best and smartest shoes to wear with the dress. I wanted to be perfect on that day.

The D-Day finally came. Yes, butterflies were in my belly but it was only out of more excitement than the dread of talking to a whole crowd. There were other activities before mine, so I had time to prepare physical and mentally. I was ready. But something happened.

Another girl of my age walked to the stage and started reciting the poem that I had been preparing to say in front of those people for weeks. I was a child, so I didn't understand why she was reciting it and not me. I thought ‘“Perhaps they needed two people to recite it.” I was wrong.

You see, as the girl recited it beautifully and without fear, I overheard my Dad telling my Mom that it was better the girl recited the poem and not me because HE DIDN'T THINK I COULD DO IT. Yes, my own Dad siad that. Why? Apparently, my parents had the belief that I couldn't do anything that involved speaking to the public because they thought I would mess it up (run away, cry, etc.). My shyness hadn't become as serious as it became now but I was ready to do it. I prepared my mind and my life for it (over exaggerating but still). I wanted to show everyone that I knew how to recite a poem, that I could do what people said and thought that I couldn't. However, it got crushed because my parents thought otherwise.

I was a child then, so it was very confusing for me. But now, I understand it perfectly. A lot of times, the closest people to us would rather stop us from achieving our goals than us actually achieving them because they think we can't do it. So, they kill it faster and earlier, thinking that they are just trying to protect us when in reality, they dulled our sense of ever having a dream simply because it involves something we can't do.

Now, I am a VERY, VERY SHY PERSON. I bail out of anything that involves public speaking. I can't tell though, who made me much shy? The every growing shyness that was already with me or my parents?

I still don't know but whenever I think about it, it makes me angry and sad.