continued from this post...

I was so nervous because it was the first time that both families would meet together before our wedding and there was no way out. I knew that I could not use avoidance and that substituting words would be very difficult. This dreadful meeting was called "la pedida de mano" and my grandparents and one of my aunts were going to attend this reunion in representation of my parents who are in Florida. On the the side was my future mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and 2 grandparents.

All that morning I was trying to be calm and practice so that I wouldn't stutter. All this backfired and built more anxiety. In one point I thought of fleeing but realized this was not the best option because I would ruin it all. But what if I stuttered badly? What if I freeze? I know it seems I am exaggerating but I am not known as a stutterer and lets face it, when one stutters people see you and a person who lacks confidence, who is nervous and in this case, they can figure that I am lying in my declaration of love. Of course my fiance was fine and relaxed while I was starting my prayer number 1000. The countdown started and I was trying to get a hold of the situation. I started doing some relaxed breathing and went to the bathroom to talk to myself in the mirror trying to build some confidence. "Come on man you can do this" "Say just what you need to and that is it"

The meeting was at my girl's house and I was already there. My grandparents came and all was set. They started talking but I hardly participated because I knew I would have to talk later, so why use my stutterless words now you know. Just before the big scene started I went to the bathroom which was becoming my confidence headquarters . I looked at the mirror and prayed, " oh God please give me fluency just for this moment. Make my words flow easily because this is an important step for my future wife and I don't want to ruin it". So my mother-in-law started saying how she was a witness of our love and bla bla bla. Then some others joined in and believe it or not, there was a window to avoid talking. They were ready to wrap it up and go to have dinner. But I looked at my wife and I really really wanted to express what I felt for her and why I wanted to marry her. So then I, spoke and said, "I would like to say some words .... "

One of my readers put on the comments that miracles do exist. Well it happened, my prayers were answered. I gave a hell of a speech and without substituting or stuttering. It was amazing and I have no clue how I did this. I made some cry because I opened my heart and it really came out well. After I finished I went to the bathroom and thanked God because I felt he had something to do with it (although if God exists then He allowed or put the stuttering in me when he created me but hey, I do not want to wreck this moment). I was so happy because I saw my future woman crying and proud of me not because I didn't stutter (she thinks it is not a big deal) but because of my words. Now there was one more obstacle in the way, the big day, my wedding.