Through January 7, each of my Favorite Memories Friday posts will follow the ‘memory schedule’ set by Mommy’s Piggy Tales as I record several highlights of my youth, from preschool through high school in 11 posts. (I missed the first post, and yet Janna has graciously allowed me to join in and link my linky to hers. Thanks, Janna!!)
I am looking forward to the memories that will be stirred in the weeks ahead. However, I hope they will have many more details than what I could come up with for this week. This week was really tough.
We were to write about preschool and kindergarten and, as many short snippets of memories I have of that time, it was quite a challenge to come up with something to share that I could write about with any depth.
I hope what I have to share will work…
I don’t remember how I got my start in the pageant world, but I do know this: My stay there was very, very short-lived.
My mom has the photos to prove that I was there and dressed for my big debut, but I still have no idea how I ended up there. On that big stage. With a huge microphone with a massive black fluffy ball on the end of it held right in front of me.
“And, Amy, what is your favorite color?”
Silence. And then, finally, “black,” I remember saying, and then regretting it.
For years now I have thought back to my big moment to shine and wondered how in the world I froze on my favorite color. And why would I say black? I loved green like my mom’s eyes… and because my mom said green was her favorite color and I wanted to be just like her.
I remember being irritated with my answer just seconds after it came off my lips. I don’t remember much else about that day except feeling frozen on that stage and then picking a color that I didn’t even like. I was probably describing that huge microphone that was in my face.
I was so mad at myself that day and it continued for quite awhile after that. I remember looking through clothes on racks after the experience ended, wishing I could just hide after saying something that was so unlike me. And I still cringe and wonder what happened.
Oh well. I guess the pageant life was not for me.
Maybe not the pageant life, but things definitely changed. Maybe that experience gave me the resolve to never let it happen again. Maybe the change would have happened anyway.
But I doubt anyone in that audience would have guessed that that terrified little girl would grow up to be a spokesperson one day. Yep, it happened. And the spokesperson part of my pre-mom job was definitely one of my favorite components. I loved sharing about the children’s museum in interviews… television, radio, print media, whatever. And I never said my favorite color was black again.
Have you ever had stage fright? Or done anything else in your preschool days that you regretted? Do tell! Link up with a preschool tale, a stage fright story or any Favorite Memory to share…
Then come back next week when I’ll share a memory from First Grade…
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