Live Storytelling Video: "My Best Friend of 23 Years"
[image description: a photo of me and my best friend, Ethan, taken on my wedding day. I’m wearing a long white wedding dress and he’s wearing khaki pants, a dark button up, and a red blazer. We’re laughing and dancing together.]
Besides reading and writing, there are few things I enjoy doing as much as live storytelling events. The rush of being onstage, the fascinating and always surprising stories that are oftentimes better than fiction, and the kindness of the crowd. If you’re new to public speaking, live storytelling is the most supportive, generous crowd you’ll find anywhere.
Usually when I do live storytelling events, I meticulously prepare. I plan my story weeks––or sometimes months––in advance and practice for hours in front of the mirror. I figure if people are going to give me their attention, the least I can do is keep them entertained.
But even with all that preparation, I’m still nervous until the moment I walk onstage and the “stage high” kicks in. I’ve rarely spoken in front of a crowd without a ton of practice, but I know I need to get used to it if I’m going to get better.
So the following performance was done with no preparation. I showed up to the storytelling event not even knowing what the theme was and I’d decided I wasn’t going to snag an open mic spot until the very end. I was literally the last performer.
But the theme of the night was friendship. And I’m lucky enough that I’ve had the same best friend for 23 years––and I’m only 28 years old. Not many people are so fortunate, so I wanted to tell a story in honor of Ethan, who’s one of the greatest gifts of my life.
Being unprepared as I was, the first sentence is cut off in the video. It begins: “I’ve had the same best friend for 23 years.” Check out the rest in the video below.
