Not long ago I taught at a young writer workshop at Lincoln Memorial University where I learned that many of my students were ashamed of their Appalachian accents. They feel like people think they’re stupid because of the way they talk.
Some of them spoke of how they try to learn the ‘right’ way to talk from watching television. Some of them were defensive about it since they get made fun of when they visit other areas, and some told me they just don’t talk that much because of it.
While I’ve lived in Nashville for several years now, I grew up in the State of West Virginia.
For most of my life, I thought a wheelbarrow was a wheelbarrel. That’s just how I always heard it.
It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I learned people didn’t actually live in the “holler.” What I’m apparently trying to say is “hollow,” the same as I would say in reference to a tree being hollow. (…but, as far as I’m concerned, the Critchfield’s still live out in the holler, so whatever.)
This speech shame was an entirely new thing to me.
And then one student stopped me after class and asked the big one:
Miss Belinda, are you ashamed of anything about yourself like we are?
My heart fell.
What a question.
I stood there on the sidewalk carefully choosing my answer.
Here’s what I said:
I continue to learn new things about myself all the time. Sometimes I like what I learn and sometimes I don’t, but I never, ever want to live in shame of myself. You get to choose whether or not you live with shame, and I say we make a pact right now that we will do our very best to NEVER choose shame.
We fist-pumped on it. (I’m cool that way.)
I’ve been thinking a lot about my pact with that student.
As I continue to grow and learn things about myself, I have to be diligent in becoming the best version of me. This week, my student has unknowingly held me accountable.
NEVER CHOOSE SHAME.
Today, I’m challenging you to join me in the pact.
(…don’t worry. If it doesn’t hit today, it will. Trust me. 😉 )