This summer some dear friends got married and I was invited to MC. I met the invitation with mixed emotions. I was flattered. But mostly I was daunted. No, not daunted … burdened. This event I’d been looking forward to shape-shifted in my mind from one where I could be a happy butterfly moving about socializing with whomever, to one where I had a responsibility. The worst burden was my expectation that I’d have to be funny. Funny is not the first word that you’d use to describe me. Once in awhile I’ll say something that comes out of the blue and is met with guffaws. But it certainly isn’t a muse I conjure up with any regularity.
One way to resolve my stage fright was to insist that I have a co-MC. If I didn’t have to be solely responsible for being funny, entertaining and gracious, I’d then feel less burdened. (And I did have a lot more fun at the wedding, sharing the load).
Then I put my facilitator’s hat on and thought about how other people who are funny and talented in various ways could contribute to making the wedding dinner fun and memorable. At the reception, once everyone was settled at their dinner tables, I invited the guests to share their stories about the bride and groom or to sing a song (with the stipulation that it had to have the word “love” in it).
The result was astonishing. First was a lovely song, sung solo. Next a touching story from a burly man about the impact on his life of his friendship with the groom. Then we all laughed as we listened to the story of how the couple was brought together through a good deal of strategy and help from her friends on the bride’s part. Every few minutes someone or a group of people stood up to sing a song or tell a story. It was like releasing a flood of shared memories and offerings of emotions and well-wishing and love. Yet, I’m pretty sure that if I hadn’t invited this in we would have all sat at our tables with our stories and songs and offerings caged inside of us.
Sometimes all we need is permission to share what is really in our hearts.
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