Embarrassing Moments
I was in 12th grade typing class when I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I happened to be sucking on a hard candy. While I was washing my hands, I managed to suck the candy into my windpipe. Suddenly I couldn’t breath! I stood there at the sink, trying cough the candy out of my throat. It wouldn’t come out, so I knew I only had seconds to run out of the bathroom into the closest classroom and get someone to Heimlich me. HOWEVER … I was too embarrassed to show anyone I needed help — even to keep from dying! I didn’t want to look stupid! So I kept trying to cough it out instead.
Knowing that coughing it out wasn’t working, I was thinking to myself what an idiot I was, that I was more afraid of embarrassment than of dying. Suddenly I found myself lying on the bathroom floor with blackness closing in. Then, just as I was losing consciousness, my body gave a great spasm and the candy shot out and hit the opposite wall.
I’ve often thought about this. How could I choose dying over being embarrassed? I am amazed at how cowardly I have been at times.
I’ve gotten a lot more relaxed about things like this in my older self. Today, if it’s a matter of life and death, I don’t care what others think of me. I would definitely go for help.
LESSON LEARNED: Embarrassment can be amazingly painful, keep this in mind before embarrassing someone else.
LESSON LEARNED: Don’t be so petrified of looking stupid I actually act stupid.
LESSON LEARNED: When I recognize the right priority, be courageous enough choose it.
LESSON LEARNED: Willingness to learn is what turns past pain into future gain.
“Choking” was my Word Of The Day on June 29, 2020. Want to see how to sign or cue “choking”? Here are the links:
ASL Word Of The Day for Choking: https://youtu.be/rXwGjWUrdGI
Cued Speech Word Of The Day for Choking: https://youtu.be/eheb81LrLxI
Here are the links to my signing and cueing YouTube “Word Of The Day” channels. I post a new word every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Check it out and I would love to know what you think of them!
YouTube ASL Word Of The Day with PSE Sentence Examples: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLOG4fqHRMQ8zL3llMl9YDg/
YouTube Cued Speech Word Of The Day: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxojUy-dP6C2YKp3BWQPg1w/
Also, Check out my Adventure Games in the App Stores:
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Please join me for my new blog posts each Friday. Have fun with your ASL and/or Cued Speech Adventures!
My Life, by DAG 