I Was Speechless.... During an Acceptance Speech
What I Would Have Said, Had I Not Been in a State of Shock
On November 14, 2019, I attended the Athena Awards banquet, hosted by the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. I was nominated for the award along with 14 other women, who are all beautiful, brilliant, bright shining stars of our community. I was surprised to be nominated, and to be honest, didn't feel that I was deserving of such an honor.
So imagine my surprise when they announced the name of the recipient of the 2019 Athena Award, and I heard my name. Nevermind, you don't have to imagine. This is the face of someone thoroughly shocked to hear her name called.
And then this happened...
Hug from brother Jonathan Fayard...
And here's what came out of my mouth:
After thinking about it, and about what the Athena Award signifies - leadership, servant-hood and mentorship - these are the words I wish I had said when handed the microphone:
I am honored that anyone would think I’m worthy of this award. I’m simply trying to do the next right thing and make the next right decision, and to do my best to encourage others along the way.
I’m grateful for the many opportunities I’ve had. Many of them terrified me. But I’ve learned to walk through the fear and accept the challenge. I’ve learned a lot along the way, and I’ve made some bad decisions, but I am grateful for a God who forgives my mistakes and allows me to keep trying.
I’ve done much on my own – I had to in many cases, especially during the 11 years I spent as a single mom with little support. Often, as a Type A woman, I’ve been guilty of acting upon the old adage that says “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” Many times, there wasn’t another option. But I’ve learned that when you have a choice, and you do things on your own anyway, you are depriving someone of learning from your knowledge and your experience. And I think that we, as leaders, have a responsibility to encourage and mold those who come behind us. Mentorship is a gift as well as a responsibility.
I think it’s sad that our society is one that believes that differences make someone our enemy. Because of the times I've had to carry the weight on my own shoulders, I’ve since learned the value of being a part of a team. And the best teams are made up of people who have different ideas, different values, different viewpoints, different experiences, different knowledge. It’s in those differences, when we open our minds and our hearts, that we can have a better and more accurate view of the big picture.
I am honored to have been chosen to receive such an award. And I will do my best to uphold the values and character that signify an Athena Award winner. I am grateful for the opportunity to join the ranks of those who came before me and look forward to whatever comes next.
I am also grateful to a husband who supports me in everything and loves me unconditionally. And the flowers were pretty awesome, too. :)
It was a very sweet day.
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