The Guest Speaker

 A Painting and a Story # 22

Meenu (short for Meenakshi) is on a seat in the front row. She is waiting for the function to begin. To her right is the Chairman for Samarth Yojana an enterprise that helps and recognises business start-ups. The gentleman on stage is introducing Meenu to the audience. 

Meenu is a motivational speaker and is much sought after. Laced with humour and practical insight her talks inspire. Today she is going to speak about the WHY that gets people to do what they are doing. and the impact of being aware of that WHY. A faint red colours her cheeks as she listens to the person introducing her. She is still embarrassed by the big nice words they use for her. A little girl approaches her with a bunch of yellow gerberas even as she reaches the single sofa placed on stage. Holding out her hands the little girl demands a hug! Meenu bends low to oblige and the yellow flowers brush against her cheek.

In a flash Meenu is with her grandpa. She is not happy at all. Seema, Sumit, Bagan, Vasudha are all chosen for singing. Even Bonda and Tuppu have roles to play. Only she has been relegated to backstage. Shampa Miss has called her aside and said that she is to introduce the items coming up on stage. She has a name for it. 'You are Emcee', Shampa Miss tells her.

Meenu is upset. 'I don't want to speak'... she tells her thatha. That's when her grandpa takes her into a corner of their garden. In that neglected patch are growing some wild flowers. 'Look at them' he says. 'Tell me what you see'. Meenu looks at them and says, 'They are flowers, they are yellow, they are not very pretty!' Grandpa says 'look closer! See how the plant grows a long stem and pushes out each flower. Every flower gets to come right up and be seen. Your teacher has seen a talent. She is trying to push you out there. Be the emcee. Maybe you will like it? Go collect the flowers. Let us take them in'. Meenu bends over the flowers and snaps them out even as they scratch her cheeks! 

Her thatha makes a bunch of those wild yellow flowers and places them in a glass jar. And they look gorgeous! That wild yellow flower - that indignant emcee - has now grown into a gorgeous speaker! Meenu smiles as she fixes the cordless mike and the session begins.

No matter how good or how bad you think you are, you have a talent? Display it. It has been bestowed on you, you are privileged. Spread that joy.

My painting for this week is my first attempt with Soft Pastels. They are so powdery! I have colour all over my work space!

Soft pastels - Wild flowers