I wrote a speech on Parenthood months ago. It was about the paradox of parenthood - how glorious love is and also how much it hurts.
A month ago, I decided to enter this speech in a humorous speech contest. I tweaked the speak, re-wrote parts of it, practiced before a few audiences. My goal was to get as many laughs as possible.
The speech went through several revisions. I found myself editing out the touching parts, the parts where I talk about how much I love my daughter, because nobody laughed at those parts.
I finally delivered the speech at a competition last weekend. I got some laughs, but I also got some strange looks. I didn’t connect like I wanted (a feeling in my bones). My speech had become so satirical, so far from the truth that I was only talking about how bratty kids are. I was mildly aware of this during this speech.
Afterwards, a lady came up to me and said, “That’s exactly why I don’t want to have kids.”
My heart sank.
I had lost my point, lost my truth, lost myself by over-thinking the piece. I was so focused on getting laughs that I was blinded to everything else.
Focusing too hard on one thing yields blind spots.
I will deliver this speech again and not worry about the laughs. I’ll address the blind spots and put my heart back into the thing.
Don’t let humor smash heart.
Beware of blind spots.
published .
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