In the midst of crazy communication week in our department we have all been blessed with a little bit of grace. Every year WT hosts a distinguished lecture series. This year, as many would agree, is one of the best we have had. Liz Murray is the author of “Breaking Night” and the story behind the Lifetime movie, “From Homeless to Harvard.” Murray grew up in a home with drug addicted parents and wound up homeless; That didn’t stop her however, from dreaming big and graduating from Harvard. Her story is one that many would be honored to hear and we were granted that honor at WT.
I must say, public speaking has only become one of the things I do while being a Mass Communications Major. When I took on the role to present Liz Murray, I was excited but so nervous. As you could imagine, I ran over my lines a whole day before the presentation ( procrastination at it’s finest). As I met Murray before the speech, I was overwhelmed with her kindness and willingness to learn about us as students. I knew at that moment what a great honor I had been given. With shaky hands and a room full of people staring at me, I gave the speech and was successful at introducing her. The story that would come next touched not only me, but every person in the room.
Liz told her story of overcoming adversity but really catered to the room full of bright eyed college students ( me being one of them). I was inspired by her success after so much hardship and took so many lessons from her talk. The way she loved other people and the way she talked about her home life despite everything was overwhelmingly humbling.
People can’t give you what they don’t have was one of the first things she talked about. I thought this was a great message because we often expect so much of others but we don’t stop to realize or think if they don’t have it.
Murray also talked about experiences : how they affect you, how they change you and how meeting certain people can change you. I think we all have had a moment where we know that a certain experience in our lives changed the course of action. She also talked about the one person in your lives who has made you want to do better. Hers, Perry, was a mentor to her and was the one who held her to a higher standard than she believed was achievable. She also said, “Someone who loves you will hold you to a higher standard and will always tell you the truth.” I think these two things go hand in hand.
I think the biggest thing that stuck out to me ( as if they all didn’t) was her story about “What ifs”. I think we all have then. What if I went to graduate school? What if I moved away? What if I could do this? To Murray and part of her message, if you always think “what if”, what if becomes that lifestyle for you. Don’t go make the difference, be the difference. How many times have we though we could do something and then never did it. What if we did? Murray also stated, “ No one knows what’s possible until they are already doing it.” These two things absolutely go hand in hand.
The last and probably the most important to Murray and to the audience tonight was to never forget to tell the people in your life that you love them. Murray struggled with losing both of her parents to disease and she still was able to love them whole heartedly. I’m guilty of losing sight of calling someone who has helped me or just saying a simple thank you to people in my life and it’s easy to get caught up but a simple thank you or a phone call could change someone’s life.
One of the best moments of the night for me was not only being able to present such and amazing lady but to have her look at me in the beginning of her speech and thank me for doing a wonderful job and for not looking down on her story but raising it up. I am honored to have met and been a part of that. I only hope that I and the people around me can have her outlook on life of just going day by day and not to get down with all the crazy things that happen. In her words, “ If you always to have something to complain about, you will never run out of things to talk about. Count your blessings. Think: I’m alright. Stop counting things you don’t have, be grateful for what you do. Don’t lose perspective of everything that is out there. Gratefulness = resourceful.” I think today will leave a lasting impression on not only me, but to the people who were there tonight. I am going to turn my “What ifs?” into “I did.”
