I’m Not Joining Toastmasters!

After my sister, Dee Dee, retired, she wanted to move closer to me so that it was easier to do things together.  While she was in the Houston area, my husband, Mike, and I started searching for a home for Dee Dee in Arlington.

As soon as Dee Dee’s house sold, she started packing for a temporary move into our home with the bulk of her belongings going into storage. Surprisingly, the house right behind us had a “For Sale” sign in it that same weekend. My sister called the Realtor and made an offer after touring the house through FaceTime. It was the perfect house for Dee Dee and the perfect location for “us.”  From there, it was a snowball effect as everything fell into place for the move.

As my sister settled in, Mike installed a gate in our back yards so that we could visit each other often, every day even.  We’re actually beginning to wear out the grass between our homes!

Dee Dee was eager to get busy with activities and make new friends. With me, she joined Zumba and Yoga classes so we could exercise together, and signed up as a Volunteer at Arlington Memorial Hospital. She kept telling me all the things she wanted to do with me but clarified, she was NOT going to join Toastmasters.  She didn’t think that public speaking sounded like fun.  It sounded more like “work” to her.

One morning as I was getting ready for my Arlington Nooners Toastmaster Club meeting, Dee Dee called me and said she wanted to attend Toastmasters as a guest. I was excited because this was one more thing we could do together!

Dee Dee enjoyed meeting the group and appreciated how structured the meeting was. She experienced a lot of positive feedback and recognized that everyone in the meeting was focused on becoming a better person.

Dee Dee is now planning her fourth speech, and as VPPR, she is helping position the club toward getting people in the door. She said, “If I can just get them in the door they will want to join Toastmasters like I did.  I only wish I had found Toastmasters early on in my career!”

Article submitted by Nancy Honkomp of Arlington Nooners