This last Friday, we gave our first motivational speech. We were excited about the turnout; almost every chair was filled. Since it was our first speech, on behalf of our foundation (Jewels Angels), we learned a lot about ourselves and what we are capable of producing. We opened our hearts to a group of strangers, reading our personal stories and tragedies, this was no doubt extremely difficult. However, we fought through, because we knew we had to do it for Jewels, and the outcome was beautiful.
Not only did we have questions about suicide, such as, what are warning signs to look for, but so many families came up to talk to us personally afterward. Since we shared our stories with them, they shared their personal stories with us. They shared their worries, fears, and hopes for their child/children. We were able to give our best advice, based on our personal experiences, and offer compassion and hope.
It is no joke when I say, reading those speeches are PAINFUL. It’s scary. But sharing our stories with families who need our support, makes it worth it. Changing one family and saving one life, that would make such a big difference. Facing our fears of publicly speaking, especially about such a sensitive topic, will only make us stronger and benefit society as a whole.
The Jewels' Angels Foundation, Inc. 