Yesterday was a wonderful day to be a stutterer. The universe conspired to send me messages in three very different ways. But the messages all said and pointed to the same thing – its good to stutter. Life is good. I am very proud to stutter.

Here’s what I mean. I have a Face book account -doesn’t everybody these days? It is a convenient way to stay in touch with lots of people and know whats going on. Its also a great way to make new friends. Well, early yesterday, I got a friend request from someone I didn’t know, along with this message. It moved me – it really did.

“Hi Pam I have seen your videos on youtube . Also I have always been interested in reading your posts in the stutteringchat and covert stuttering forums. You are one of the most amazing and influential members in the stuttering community. My name is Ammar and I also stutter mild to moderate. I am from middle east and currently I am studying in the US. I am a covert stutter and find your contributions in covert stuttering issues are very informative. I would love to add you as a friend if you don’t mind.”

Who would mind that? I was touched and honored, and got a little teary, I will admit, as I read his words. Amazing and Influential. Who, me? You never know who we might reach. This affirms that what I do and my sharing my stories has value and is meant to be. Needless to say, Ammar and I are now friends, and I hope we get to know each really well.

Also on Face book, I learned that the Our Time Theater group, who performed in NYC on Monday night, was going to be featured on NBC’s Nightly News. Lots of people who stutter are on Face book, and this message spread like wildfire. I called home and asked my patient partner to please set the DVR so I could see it later. I call him patient because he is not into stuttering like I am – he thinks I should be so over the need to keep doing me the way I am. (I could go on and on about that, but will save it for another post!)

So, sure enough, Taro Alexander and his kids who perform in the theater troupe were featured on the news program. What a tribute. I had seen these incredibly inspiring kids at last year’s NSA conference. They are wonderful, and we adults should be so proud of them for being who they are and so very proud of Taro for seeing the value. Here’s the link to Our Time’s Blog , where the videos are posted, in case you didn’t get to see them! http://www.ourtimenyc.blogspot.com/

The third amazing thing that happened yesterday (or this morning, depending on what time zone you are in) was through internet technology, I was able to talk in real time with Ridwan from Scotland and Tone from Norway. We used Skype to make this connection and we talked for over an hour and a half. Ridwan and I both stutter, and we did during our phone conversation and we talked about our stuttering, Tone is a student from Norway, studying to be a teacher. Her long term goal is to be a SLP and she is learning about stuttering by connecting with us.

This conversation was very moving to me. First, it brought together three people from different parts of the world who share a commonality. Second, that these young people – both students – were patient enough with me to help me to use Skype for the first time. Once I got the hang of it, I was truly awestruck how easy it is to connect to anyone in the world. But more so, to listen to their accents and realize the incredible reach stuttering has.

A far cry from when I was a little girl and thought I was the only one who stuttered. It is wonderful for me to realize the impact that we can have on each other’s lives, just by being who we are and for being brave enough to share the very essence of ourselves with the word.

It is worth saying again: I do me. I offer that to everybody. Do you!