Exemplification Essay: The Fear Of Stuttering

As Stephen Nachmanovitch said, “The harder we press on a violin string, the less we can feel it. The louder we play, the less we hear….If I “try” to play, I fail; if I race, I trip. The only road to strength is vulnerability.”

A few years ago writing this essay would have been impossible because of my shame and deep fear I felt about being a stutterer. I am blessed with an unconditionally loving family and I have been given every opportunity to flourish. So why was the simple act of speaking accompanied by the fear of stuttering – speaking in class, talking to a stranger, ordering food, or even uttering my own name? Why did it feel like some consonants were the Dracula of language and the silence between them endless?

I don’t know. What I do know – and what I have grappled with over the past several years – is that I was not alone in this struggle. Stuttering can be crippling and it can touch anyone. At some point I realized that having a stutter isn’t something to conceal, but rather embrace. I was
It is not an end, but rather a continuation of my journey. If my writing at VBI can help one person feel a little less alone, if it encourages one person to speak without fear of ridicule, if it allows one person to know that no matter how hopeless it feels right now it can get better, then it is worthy. I’ve been told my ability to confidently deliver a speech, to challenge my opponent in debate, and to approach people with poise has inspired others to venture out into unchartered territory. And I’m ready to venture into new territory, too. My stuttering inspired my dream of pursuing interdisciplinary study in computational linguistics to help change how we interact with the world with our