Besides on paper, our boldest audience members at our event asked our seniors some brilliant questions out loud. I am glad we squeezed in a last question at the end. For the young lady who asked it (hi there if you are reading, hi and thank you for sharing), I could tell the moment was a special, soul-baring one – even from the bright stage, I could see it in her eyes. What I didn’t realize was how special it was for Loretta as well – until she shared about it in class the next week. And you know what, thinking back, Loretta did “finish” the young lady’s sentence, as they say. Like the two of them shared a real connection and understood exactly what the other person was trying to say. And to witness that connection stream across a room between two previous strangers makes that moment special for me too.
Loretta Gaither
Our Big Day/ I Don’t Give Up
11/18/2010
Our event on Sunday was really nice. We were on stage at the Free Library and lots of people were in the audience. A young lady, in the audience, asked a question about how could she write her story when she has problems physically writing. I told her to get someone to help her write – somebody who she knows and connects with could write it for her as she tells her story. I told her that I have problems with my hands so writing is difficult but I know what I want to say – it’s all in my head. I told her not to give up in getting her story out to other people. I don’t give up and I keep on going with the Lord’s help.
I was glad to tell my story about being on Montel’s TV show – I prayed to get on and the Lord answered my prayer. I thanked Benita for being able to tell my story at the Free Library. I was not nervous on stage because I knew that God was on my side to show me that I could do it – even when others thought that I could not. It made me feel good about myself when Benita introduced me and told everyone that I made my skirt. It was a beautiful day for everyone!
