The Ace in Grace (Area International Speech Contest 21March15)
Please raise your hand / if you’ve / gray hairs. I notice some of you / are afraid to raise your hands. It’s ok, I understand. I found my first strand of gray hair / when I was in my 20s / and I wasn’t bothered. But as I stepped into my 30s, the gray hairs multiplied. It seems …plucking 1 out, will produce / not 2 / but 5. By the time I turned 40, I’m afraid / to look into the mirror, aiya! … Fifty Shades of Grey. I use /hair dyes to cover up /but it does not last at all.
At work, I’m visually challenged / by small print. Is it 8, 6 or 5? My colleagues said /they can read what’s on my computer … miles away. Because / I set the font /to the biggest possible. I’ve /presby’opia or what the Chinese called/ Old .. Flower .. Eyes.
I’m afraid to hear humorous speeches! Don’t you know? Laughing /can cause wrinkles! Is that why you are not laughing? When I found my first wrinkle, I was horrified /and terrified. (low, slow) I’m afraid / to grow old. I searched desperately for all sorts of anti-aging cream – (very fast) day cream, night cream, firming cream, repairing cream, mothers of all creams. (pause) One day, a sales girl told me I could fr-ee-ze my age, so I came home /with a big bag of /creams. While I was happy, my husband was angry. He said ageing is part of life, don’t try to be forever 25. We had a huge fight / and I /went over to my parents’ place.
My Dad is 80 years old and wheel chair bound. He asked me /what’s happened, so I told him. (sit down). He said, “When I was young, I went wherever I want. But now, I go wherever, people push me to.” (pause) “I am old but … I am not afraid. Do you know why? It’s because of your mum’s name! Grace. I’m growing old ..with …..grace.”
Hmm…Grace – it’s a quality of polite and dignified behaviour. Do you know anyone /by the name ‘Grace’? Yes, Grace is a beautiful name. If I’ve a daughter, I will name her Grace. I want to watch her grow and yes …. I want .. to grow old / with grace. (looking at the chair on the left) “(slowly) But… Dad, how do you really / grow ..old ..with .. grace?”
“Look closely at Grace, G-R-A-C-E. G grey hairs. R reading glasses.” (low, helpless tone!) “Dad, you are not helping!” “ My girl, face the reality! You are getting old. We can’t turn back the clock. Now look at the remaining letters A-C-E! Accept Continue Enjoy. Put the 3 letters together, you have the ace (show card) …to grow ..old with gr (put card nearer to face) ace.”
Over the next few days, I thought about the ACE. A: accept. As we age, we are no longer ‘agile but…. ‘fragile. My Dad has accepted his disability /and adapted his wheel-chair as ..his ‘Ferrari’. (whisper) I think it’s more like a Toyota! Yes! I’ve to accept my age, the gray hairs and wrinkles! I’m not going to let these annoying changes / interfere /with my life.
Next, C= continue .. learning. Recently my dad has learned bowling. Wheelchair bowling? No! Bowling on his ipad. He has also learnt to watsapp. My dad is learning / new technology, I’m learning / ‘an-nyeong hasaeyo’ ‘kamsa-hamnida’
Lastly, E= enjoy life. My Dad enjoys being called a Senior Citizen / because the title means .. discounts. Now, I’m enjoying life with my husband. We go hiking, travelling & enjoy humorous speeches. Don’t you know? Laughing is the best / way to show off / our lovely wrinkles.
Fellow toastmasters & friends, the minute we are born, we begin to age. There is nothing we can do .. to stop the clock. And the best way/ to deal with ageing .. is to have the ace (show card) to grow old / with gr (put card nearer to face) ace! Accept, Continue, Enjoy
At work, I’m visually challenged / by small print. Is it 8, 6 or 5? My colleagues said /they can read what’s on my computer … miles away. Because / I set the font /to the biggest possible. I’ve /presby’opia or what the Chinese called/ Old .. Flower .. Eyes.
I’m afraid to hear humorous speeches! Don’t you know? Laughing /can cause wrinkles! Is that why you are not laughing? When I found my first wrinkle, I was horrified /and terrified. (low, slow) I’m afraid / to grow old. I searched desperately for all sorts of anti-aging cream – (very fast) day cream, night cream, firming cream, repairing cream, mothers of all creams. (pause) One day, a sales girl told me I could fr-ee-ze my age, so I came home /with a big bag of /creams. While I was happy, my husband was angry. He said ageing is part of life, don’t try to be forever 25. We had a huge fight / and I /went over to my parents’ place.
My Dad is 80 years old and wheel chair bound. He asked me /what’s happened, so I told him. (sit down). He said, “When I was young, I went wherever I want. But now, I go wherever, people push me to.” (pause) “I am old but … I am not afraid. Do you know why? It’s because of your mum’s name! Grace. I’m growing old ..with …..grace.”
Hmm…Grace – it’s a quality of polite and dignified behaviour. Do you know anyone /by the name ‘Grace’? Yes, Grace is a beautiful name. If I’ve a daughter, I will name her Grace. I want to watch her grow and yes …. I want .. to grow old / with grace. (looking at the chair on the left) “(slowly) But… Dad, how do you really / grow ..old ..with .. grace?”
“Look closely at Grace, G-R-A-C-E. G grey hairs. R reading glasses.” (low, helpless tone!) “Dad, you are not helping!” “ My girl, face the reality! You are getting old. We can’t turn back the clock. Now look at the remaining letters A-C-E! Accept Continue Enjoy. Put the 3 letters together, you have the ace (show card) …to grow ..old with gr (put card nearer to face) ace.”
Over the next few days, I thought about the ACE. A: accept. As we age, we are no longer ‘agile but…. ‘fragile. My Dad has accepted his disability /and adapted his wheel-chair as ..his ‘Ferrari’. (whisper) I think it’s more like a Toyota! Yes! I’ve to accept my age, the gray hairs and wrinkles! I’m not going to let these annoying changes / interfere /with my life.
Next, C= continue .. learning. Recently my dad has learned bowling. Wheelchair bowling? No! Bowling on his ipad. He has also learnt to watsapp. My dad is learning / new technology, I’m learning / ‘an-nyeong hasaeyo’ ‘kamsa-hamnida’
Lastly, E= enjoy life. My Dad enjoys being called a Senior Citizen / because the title means .. discounts. Now, I’m enjoying life with my husband. We go hiking, travelling & enjoy humorous speeches. Don’t you know? Laughing is the best / way to show off / our lovely wrinkles.
Fellow toastmasters & friends, the minute we are born, we begin to age. There is nothing we can do .. to stop the clock. And the best way/ to deal with ageing .. is to have the ace (show card) to grow old / with gr (put card nearer to face) ace! Accept, Continue, Enjoy
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