初二英语演讲稿15篇
演讲稿在写作上具有一定的格式要求。在充满活力，日益开放的今天，演讲稿对我们的作用越来越大，为了让您在写演讲稿时更加简单方便，以下是小编整理的初二英语演讲稿，供大家参考借鉴，希望可以帮助到有需要的朋友。
初二英语演讲稿1
Knowing the consequences of choice
Over the past spring festival, i got involved in a family dispute. right before i got home, four satellite channels of cctv were added to the 14 channels we had already had. in prime time at night, they all had interesting shows. therefore, the five of us-my parents, my sisters and i-had to argue over what to watch. finally, we agreed that we should watch the "most interesting" programme... if we
Could agree what that was.
However, all of us there remember that for a long time after we had tv, there were only one or two channels available. the increase in options reveals an important change in our life: the abundance of choice.
Fifteen years ago we all dressed in one style and in one colour. today, we select from a wide variety of designs and shades.
Fifteen years ago, we read few newspapers. today, we read english newspapers like the china daily and the 21st century, as well as various chinese newspapers.
Fifteen years ago, english majors took only courses in language and literature. today, we also study western culture, journalism, business communications, international relations, and computer science.
The emergence of choices marks the beginning of a new era in china's history; an era of diversity, of material and cultural richness, and an era of the rebirth of the chinese nation.
We enjoy the abundance of choice. but this has not come easily.
About 150 years ago, china was forced to open up its door by western canons and gunboats. it has been through the struggle and sacrifice of generations that we finally have gained the opportunity to choose for ourselves. the policy of reform and openness is the choice that has made all the difference.
Like others of my age, i'm too young to have experienced the time when the chinese people had no right to choose. however, as the next century draws near, it is time to ask: what does choice really mean to us young people?
Is choice a game that relies on chance or luck? is choice an empty promise that never materializes? or is choice a puzzle so difficult that we have to avoid it?
First, i would like to say: to choose means to claim opportunities.
I am a third-year english major. an important choice for me, of course, is what to do upon graduation. i can go to graduate school, at home or abroad. i can go to work as a teacher, a translator, a journalist, an editor and a diplomat. actually, the system of mutual selection has allowed me to approach almost every career opportunity in china.
Indeed, this is not going to be an easy choice. i would love to work in such big cities as beijing or shanghai or shenzhen. i would also love to return to my hometown, which is intimate, though slightly lagging in development. i would love to stay in the coastal area where life is exciting and fast-paced. i would also love to put down roots in central and western china, which is underdeveloped, but holds
Great potential.
All of these sound good. but they are only possibilities. to those of us who are bewildered at the abundance of opportunities, i would like to say: to choose means to accept challenge.
To us young people, challenge often emerges in the form of competition. in the next century, competition will not only come from other college graduates, but also from people of all ages and of all origins.
With increasing international exchanges, we have to face growing competition from the whole outside world. this is calling for a higher level of our personal development.
Fifteen years ago, the knowledge of a foreign language or of computer operation was considered merely an advantage. but today, with wider educational opportunities, this same knowledge has become essential to everyone.
Given this situation, even our smallest choices will require great wisdom and personal determination.
As we gain more initiative in choice making, the consequence of each choice also becomes more important.
As we gain more initiative in choice making, the consequence of each choice also becomes more important.
Nuclear power, for instance, may improve our quality of life. but it can also be used to damage the lives and possessions of millions.
Aconomic development has enriched our lives but brought with it serious harm to our air, water and health.
To those of us who are blind to the consequences of their choices, i would like to say, to choose means to take responsibility. when we are making choices for ourselves, we cannot casually say: "it's just my own business. " as policy makers of the next century, we cannot fail to see our responsibility to those who share the earth with us.
The traditional chinese culture teaches us to study hard and work hard so as to honor our family. to me, however, this family is not just the five of us who quarreled over television programmes. rather, it is the whole of the human family. as i am making my choices, i will not forget the smile of my teacher when i correctly spelled out the word "china" for the first time, i will not forget the happy faces of the boys and girls we helped to send back to school in the mountains of jiangxi province. i will not forget the tearful eyes of women and children in bosnia, chechnya and somali, where millions are suffering from war, famine or poverty.
All these people, known and unknown, make up our big human family. at different points, they came into my life and broaden my perspective. now as i am to make choices for myself, it is time to make efforts to improve their lives, because a world will benefit us all only if every one in it can lead a peaceful and prosperous life.
初二英语演讲稿2
Founder of Success Napoleon Hill said: "The self-confidence, manage human use and the only channel universe, Infinite Intelligence is all the 'miracle' of the foundation of all scientific laws can not be the birthplace of the mystery of miracles . "he also said that such a thought-provoking words:" If we analyze the personality of those outstanding figures, you will see they have a common characteristic: they start work before, always fully believe in themselves the ability to remove all difficulties and obstacles, until victory! "
Indeed, in large part to promote confidence in a person's success, many people start from the history we are all evident. Confident people from distress to rescue, you can see the successful people in the dark light, can give people the power struggle. Perhaps you could say: "With confidence, you have half the success."
Work the same two people, self-confidence of people at work in a more relaxed when the Association of the way through: Dang good done, we will consider it for our own strength, in the event Shizaiwufa completed The task, then that might be really difficult task in itself. The lack of self-confidence of people will bring success to good luck, the ability to not fail as their own home. However, as this little psychological difference, although the two spent time and energy are similar, but often more self-confident side of the gain is much greater.
How many scientists at home and abroad, especially inventors, which is not tackled on his own confidence in what the project? Will fail again and again again and again aroused their fighting spirit - they think: the more failures, the more successful near distance. But confidence is not an innocent person will be attached to the body, first of all who have genuine talent, then can there be real self-confidence, and use it as an extremely useful power. Empty full of confidence, it would only say it is presumptuous Bale. This so-called "confidence", not only failed to promote human progress, but unfriendly.
King of the hill Network commentator said: "There is no real thing, only the confidence, the future is only one - dead, and done for." This sentence sounds excessive, but in fact the only self-confidence if it is indeed a very dangerous.
Similarly, in our study, only self-confidence is not enough, self-confidence and efforts should be organically combined. Some students often see the occasion of the examination, not the least bit nervous, confidently into the examination room. However, after examination, this part of the students in some scores of deadly accuracy, and some fraction is ashamed to see people. This seems unreasonable thing is very simple: this part is both a kind of self-confidence in students, but also hard to study hard; a single self-confidence, but did not pay the effort. These two types of students are full of confidence seems to examination, but usually not the same as the accumulation of knowledge, different consequences.
So, we life, you should do first one full of classics, before a confident person. Because confidence is just a void of power, want to be successful, you have to give confidence to attach to "hard work" on the burning of the mechanical self-confidence, so confidence should force it to play out.
初二英语演讲稿3
各位同学：
你们好！
初二是初中三年中最重要的一年，因为初二是学生成绩两极分化非常严重的一年，成绩好的同学越好，而成绩差的同学越差。有些同学想等到初三才认真学习，想提高成绩，考入重点高中。但由于初二基础较差而心想事不成。那么，如何使自己的成绩一如既往并有所提高呢？这就需要我们同学养成良好的学习习惯。古今中外的大量事实证明：一个人成功与否，主要不是因为他的智力，而是取决于他是否具备良好的学习习惯，因此我们必须注重良好学习习惯的养成。渴望在学术上有所建树，那么，就请你尽早养成良好的学习习惯。在学校的学习中，一个良好学习习惯主要包括：预习习惯、上课习惯、复习习惯、自我提问的习惯、“不耻下问”的习惯、利用工具书的习惯。
1、“凡事预则立，不预则废”。预习是首要的环节。预习的目的在于对将要学习的知识有个总体的了解，以便上课时有目的的听讲，集中精力解决好新课的重点和难点。所以，学习新课前必须预习。预习时要逐词逐句阅读相关学习内容，联系以前所学过的相关知识，深刻理解本节课知识的重点和难点，画出哪些地方不会，并及时做好记录，为下一节上课做好充分的思想基础。良好的预习习惯的养成，并不是一朝一夕的努力就行了，需要每天坚持预习。同时，在预习的时候应做到看、做、思相结合，做到眼到、手到、心到，不能把预习当作任务来完成，而要将它看作是学习新知识的一个重要环节来看待。
2、上课是学生掌握知识的主战场。上课的时候，课前要准备好所需用的课本、笔记本、作业本、工具书等，课上要认真专注地听老师的讲解和同学们的发言，要积极和老师配合，随时跟上老师的思路和节奏，积极回答老师提出的每一个问题，对分组讨论的问题要积极踊妖，敢于发表自己的意见和见解。同时，要养成一个善于记录课堂笔记的习惯，要记录学习的要点、学习新得、以及老师对教材的补充和延伸，以便逐步加深和更正自己对新知识的理解，不断提高自己的'自学能力。
3、课后复习是对知识的巩固和消化过程。课后一定要进行及时巩固复习，对课上所学习的重点、难点知识进行反思、总结，哪个地方会了，哪个地方还不会。
4、善于自我提问的习惯。从某种意义上讲，学习的过程就是一个不断提出问题并不断解决问题的过程。善于提出问题，是自学能力强的标志之一。5、“不耻下问”的习惯。有些同学有了问题，自己解决不了，又死要面子，不肯问人，这样问题越积越多，学习就会陷入被动局面。
6、利用工具书的习惯。要解决那些自己不能解决的问题，除了向老师、家长和同学请教外，还可以利用工具书求得解答。学生都要备有必要的工具书，特别是《新华字典》《英语词典》。
行为养成习惯，习惯造就性格，性格决定命运。我们每个人的心田好比一块神奇的土地，播种了一种思想，便会有行为的收获，播种了行为，便会有习惯的收获，播种了习惯便会有品德的收获，播种了品德，便会有命运的收获。可见，良好的习惯对人生的确太重要了。习惯是一种能量的储蓄，养成良好学习习惯的人，要比那种没有养成良好习惯的人以及养成不良学习习惯的人具有较大的潜在能量。
初二英语演讲稿4
Everyone has a dream, but not everyone can achieve your dream, that dreamand reality are too far apart, seems to dream is out of reach, is the unclearmain, in the face of cruel reality and dream will only make our steadfast died.Actually hinder our progress is oneself, feel distant dream is their own, thinkof dream bumpy road is their own, think is hang him yourself, give up the dreamis ourselves, we see our circle in a design of the fence, the limitations in theboundaries of their thinking, and then how to also don't break this gap, be yourown captive, lost to yourself.
Someone says: the heart has how old, stage has how old, no can't do, onlyunexpected. As long as we think of is said to myself, I can, I'll do. Courage toface their own, beyond their own pattern, failures, drain, start again. If youlose, never recovered, then you can't, regret lifelong.
A farmers in liaoning, he likes singing very much, he sang in the fields,on the muddy road singing, singing in dirty chicken yard, a sing for 13 years.But many people said that his voice is not suitable for singing, but he don'twant to give up, the support of mom gave him great encouragement, he came toChina good voice, just want to ask the teachers, his voice would there, can singout of their own future? A melodious, haven't loving English songs of the song,the authority of the three teachers will turn around trying to want to know,that strange voice, what is the girl sing it, when they turned the moment seemedto be shocked, it turned out that he is a handsome and clear man. The firstevaluation of na ying is singing is too attractive, yu give sound specialaffirmation, I miss you also said that "the time has come for the shine, if youcan come out, that is unique" yes, god gave him a very unique voice, at the sametime let him live in the great contrast, isn't it a kind of experience?
初二英语演讲稿5
When I was in high school, there was a teacher who taught me more than that in class.He was a very kind boy, 4 or 5 years older than us and taught us geography. We all liked to take his class, though geography was not our major course.What impressed me a lot was his grace.You could see him always smiling.He got angry only when we were too noisy in class.After class,he often played soccer with us.He used to be a very believable defender and never fouled on any of us.We all liked to call him "Teacher Miao" and he was just like a friend, not a teacher.His sonsy personality inspired me to be kind to everyone I met.That was my well-beloved "Teacher Miao" .
我在高中的时候，有一位老师教我比课堂上多。他是一个非常善良的男孩，比我们大4或5年，教我们地理。我们都喜欢他的课，虽然我们的专业课程不是地理学。给我印象最深的是他的优雅。你可以看到他总是面带微笑。他生气的'时候，只会是当我们在教室太吵了。下课后，他经常和我们一起踢足球。他曾经是一个非常可信的后卫不拖累我们任何人。我们都喜欢叫他“苗老师”，他就像一个朋友，而不是老师。他的人格激励我要对每个我认识的人都要友好。那是我的心爱的“苗老师”。
初二英语演讲稿6
Growing up as a child, April Fools Day was the one holiday I never felt clever enough to take part in. I was creative enough to make a costume for Halloween, or bake a dozen heart-shaped cookies on Valentine's Day, but I never had any good ideas for playing pranks.
In elementary school, all my classmates would prepare a joke to play on April Fools Day. The joke was usually meant to be played on the teacher, and, for a week in advance, all the students would get together at lunch to plan out what the prank was going to be. This went on for years- since I went to a grade school with the same thirty students for all of primary school.
I was proud of myself for getting the courage to suggest the prank, and I was even more proud that people liked it- including my teacher. It was a moment in my childhood that I'll never forget, and I'm sure the school never has either.
初二英语演讲稿7
It is true that most of us value honesty highly. However, nowadays we often confront confidence crisis such as cheating, overcharging, fake commodities and so on. I think that we should be honest because being honest is not only beneficial to ourselves but also to others and the whole society. The reasons can be listed as follows.Firstly, only honest people can be truly respected by the others and can make more friends over a long period of time. Secondly, honesty, which is the traditional virtue of the Chinese people, can make our life easier and more harmonious. Thirdly, honesty can make our society more stable. A case in point is that Singapore, a society featuring trustworthiness and integrity, has a comparatively low criminal rate. Responsbility can be understood in many ways. for the parents , they have had the responsibility for caring for and fostering their children since the birth of their baby.for teachers,both in kindergartens and colleges,they also should be responsible for the study and life of their students,that is to say,teahers are the second parents of children somewhile. for us,as a friend of others,it is our responsibility to help our friends when they are in trouble or faced with difficulties. each one has the different responsibily based on their roles but we must take it for granted that we are responsible for the society.
初二英语演讲稿8
this presidential library chronicles a vivid era in american history, for the benefit of future generations. it will contribute to the vitality of this fine city and to the great state of arkansas. the collections here record the dedication and hard work of thousands, who brought talent and idealism to public service. and at the center of that era, at the head of that administration, was an able and energetic american. president bill clinton led our country with optimism and a great affection for the american people, and that affection has been returned. he gave all to his job, and the nation gave him two terms.
in the early 1990s, the american people saw a young, well-spoken, relatively unknown governor rise to national prominence. yet for decades here in arkansas, the signs of destiny were clear. when young william entered a new school in the 4th grade, a classmate recalls, "he didn't mean to, but he just took the place over." when governor clinton declared his candidacy for president in this city, his close friends were not surprised in the least. they'd always known that bill clinton's moment in history would come.
arkansas is a state that knows political skill when you see it. a fellow in saline county was asked by his son why he liked governor clinton so much. he said, son, he'll look you in the eye, he'll shake your hand, he'll hold your baby, he'll pat your dog -- all at the same time.
over the years, bill clinton showed himself to be much more than a good politician. his home state elected him governor in the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s, because he was an innovator, a serious student of policy, and a man of great compassion. in the white house, the whole nation witnessed his brilliance and mastery of detail, his persuasive power, and his persistence. the president is not the kind to give up a fight. his staffers were known to say, "if clinton were the titanic, the iceberg would sink."
初二英语演讲稿9
尊敬的各位家长：
大家好!
我是初二(3)班的英语老师，首先欢迎各位家长的到来。借此机会，我想应该给各位家长谈一下孩子们在这一个学期的情况。
开学初，本班学生在中缺乏积极性，自觉性差，凡事都要不停地反复的督促。布置的任务不能及时的完成。而初二的英语教材相较三、四年级，又有所变化，起初孩子们没有找好学习的切入点，所以我们在座有些家长就反映孩子的英语成绩较之前有所下降。一学期下来了，在强化课堂教学，抓好课堂效益上，我结合教材和学生的多方面情况，做了以下一些工作：
1、初二英语在听、说、读、写方面的要求更加重要，我们尽量在课堂上帮助学生掌握知识，开展活动，让他们在不知不觉中张口说英语。比如我们班庄园，王辉，钱勇，曹旭成，王声康，许雅文等同学，每节课的.知识和作业都能当堂掌握和完成。
2、兴趣是最好的老师。英语课中多是一些情景对话，我们常常设置一个情境，让学生进入其中，以表演的形式学习新知，乐在其中。如李杰，葛宇，逗号，潘建如，李浪，张朋顺，周扬名，吴家佩，花尉揩，沈培欢等同学，经常表演和惟妙惟肖，让人忍俊不禁的同时，其他同学也加深了对课文的理解。
3、孩子们都是要强的，我们举行各式各样的比赛，让他们自发地要求进步。最近我们开展一对一的擂台赛。孩子们学习的积极性高涨。如张峰玮与庄园同学之间，杨冬煦和潘康同学之间，你追我赶，共同进步。我们也进行了一些简单的测试，有很多同学较开学初都有很大的进步。尤其是张影，张自豪，刘俊杰，李杰，鲍胜凡，潘国光，吕文豪等同学。我们班同学，优秀的学生不仅成绩好，在英语表达能力上也有提高，学习有困难的学生也不气馁，一直在努力地向前冲。学习英语是为了以后能与人用英语交流，平时有积累，最后就能收获成功。让我们一起为孩子们营造一个开心快乐的学习氛围，真正让孩子们相对学的轻松，扎实，有效。
最后，祝各位家长新年快乐，合家幸福。愿我们的孩子天天进步!
初二英语演讲稿10
A new term began. students all returned to school met again. They were talking about what they had done in the holidays. I was happier. I couldn't wait to tell my story. Now it's my turn. I told them i got a job in a restaurant. I worked as a waitress.
They didn't believe at first.
"Yes, it's true. "I said," I really had a hard time at the beginning. But several days later, I could do a good job. I earned six hundred yuan this holiday. "They all looked at me with their mouths open.
翻译：
新学期开始了，同学们都返回学校重新见面。他们正在谈论自己的暑假生活。我更高兴，迫不及待地想告诉他们我是怎么过的.。终于轮到我，了，我告诉他们我暑假期间在一家餐馆当服务员。他们起初并不相信。“是真的。”我说，“刚开始时可惨了，但几天我就做得很好了。暑假我挣了600元钱呢。”他们都目瞪口呆地看着我。
初二英语演讲稿11
Most people would like to be popular with others, but not everyone can achieve this goal. What is the secret to popularity? In fact, it is very simple. The first step is to improve our appearance. We should always make sure that we stay in good shape and dress well. When we are healthy and well-groomed, we will not only look better but also feel better. In addition, we should smile and appear friendly. After all, our facial expression is an important part of our appearance. If we can do this, people will be attracted to our good looks and impressed by our confidence.
Another important step is developing more consideration for others. We should always put others first and place their interests before our own. It's also important to be good listeners; in this way people will feel comfortable enough to confide in us. However, no matter what we do, we must not gossip. Above all, we must remember to be ourselves, not phonies. Only by being sincere and respectful of others can we earn their respect. If we can do all of the above, I am sure popularity will come our way.
初二英语演讲稿12
Once, I read a story in a book, it told about an old man was on the train, he lost one of his shoes on the window, to everyone’s surprise, he dropped his another shoe out of window quickly. People asked why he was doing that, he said that if the person picked up one of his shoes, it was useless, but a pair of shoes could be valuable. The old man is so general and he has the positive attitude towards life. The positive attitude is very important, when we meet difficulties, we will get over them. If we feel frustrated all the time, then we will not be happy. We can’t change bad things, but we can change our attitude.
曾经，我在一本书上读到一个故事，讲述了在火车上一位老人，他在窗口弄丢了一只鞋子，令大家感到吃惊的是，他立刻把另外一只鞋子也扔出窗外。人们问他为什么这样做，他说如果有人捡到他的一只鞋子，是没有用处的，但是一双鞋子就有价值。老人家是慷慨的，他对生活有着乐观的态度。乐观的态度是很重要的.，当我们遇到困难了，就能克服。如果我们总是觉得沮丧，就不会开心。我们无法改变坏事情，但是可以改变我们的态度。
初二英语演讲稿13
My favourite animal is tortoise. Tortoise walk not fast. But I like the tortoise. Why? Because, tortoise is a cute animal. It have a short tail and a four short foot. It have a little head and a hard shell. They are forty-five little and cute tortoise in My home. They like to play in the water. When they afraid some thing. They wall run fast. They like to eat the fish. I often buy some small fish to them to eat. They can catch the fish fast. First, they fake(假) sleep. When the fish swim near they mouth. They catch the fish fast and bit the fish head. So, the fish die. They can eat the fish. In winter. They like to sleep in the sand. When they sleep, they don’t eat any food.Because they wall hibernation. But, when they are thirsty. They come out of the sand. So, we must give water to them to drink.
I love the tortoise. I hate the eagle. Because, the eagle often eat the tortoise with it sharp mouth.My favourite animal is tortoise.
我最喜欢的动物是乌龟。乌龟走路快。但我喜欢乌龟。为什么?因为乌龟是一种可爱的动物。它有短尾巴和四个短脚。它有一个小脑袋和一个硬壳。45小和可爱的.乌龟在我家。他们喜欢在水里玩。当他们害怕一些事情。他们跑得快。他们喜欢吃鱼。我经常买一些小鱼给他们吃。他们可以很快的抓到鱼。首先,他们假的睡眠(假)。当鱼游在他们的嘴。他们很快的抓到鱼,鱼的头。所以,鱼类死亡。他们可以吃鱼。在冬天。他们喜欢睡在沙滩上。当他们睡觉,不吃任何食物。因为他们冬眠。但是,当他们渴了。他们的沙子。所以,我们必须把水给他们喝。
我喜欢乌龟。我讨厌鹰。因为,鹰经常吃乌龟用它锋利的嘴。我最喜欢的动物是乌龟。
初二英语演讲稿14
My father is a kind man. He is not very tall but he is a man of perseverance. He works very hard and his services are highly appreciated.
My father is a man of devotion. Every morning he gets up the earliest to make breakfast for us. In the evening, he is always the late to come back home. At weekends, he always takes us to go outing in his car. He is a man of few words, but he often says to me "A little learning is a dangerous thing". I will always remember these words.
I love my father very much.
我的父亲是一个善良的.人。他不是很高，但他是个有毅力的人。他工作很努力，他的服务受到高度赞赏。
我的父亲是一个虔诚的人。每天早上他起床最早为我们做早餐。在晚上，他总是回家晚。在周末，他总是开车带我们去郊游。他是个沉默寡言的人，但他常对我说“一知半解是危险的事”。我将永远记得这些话。
我非常爱我的爸爸。
初二英语演讲稿15
I was one of the only kids in college who had a reason to go to the P.O. box at the end of the day, and that was mainly because my mother has never believed in email, in Facebook, in texting or cell phones in general. And so while other kids were BBM-ing their parents, I was literally waiting by the mailbox to get a letter from home to see how the weekend had gone, which was a little frustrating when Grandma was in the hospital, but I was just looking for some sort of scribble, some unkempt cursive from my mother.
And so when I moved to New York City after college and got completely sucker-punched in the face by depression, I did the only thing I could think of at the time. I wrote those same kinds of letters that my mother had written me for strangers, and tucked them all throughout the city, dozens and dozens of them. I left them everywhere, in cafes and in libraries, at the U.N., everywhere. I blogged about those letters and the days when they were necessary, and I posed a kind of crazy promise to the Internet: that if you asked me for a hand-written letter, I would write you one, no questions asked. Overnight, my inbox morphed into this harbor of heartbreak -- a single mother in Sacramento, a girl being bullied in rural Kansas, all asking me, a 22-year-old girl who barely even knew her own coffee order, to write them a love letter and give them a reason to wait by the mailbox.
Well, today I fuel a global organization that is fueled by those trips to the mailbox, fueled by the ways in which we can harness social media like never before to write and mail strangers letters when they need them most, but most of all, fueled by crates of mail like this one, my trusty mail crate, filled with the scriptings of ordinary people, strangers writing letters to other strangers not because they're ever going to meet and laugh over a cup of coffee, but because they have found one another by way of letter-writing.
But, you know, the thing that always gets me about these letters is that most of them have been written by people that have never known themselves loved on a piece of paper. They could not tell you about the ink of their own love letters. They're the ones from my generation, the ones of us that have grown up into a world where everything is paperless, and where some of our best conversations have happened upon a screen. We have learned to diary our pain onto Facebook, and we speak swiftly in 140 characters or less.
But what if it's not about efficiency this time? I was on the subway yesterday with this mail crate, which is a conversation starter, let me tell you. If you ever need one, just carry one of these. (Laughter) And a man just stared at me, and he was like, "Well, why don't you use the Internet?" And I thought, "Well, sir, I am not a strategist, nor am I specialist. I am merely a storyteller." And so I could tell you about a woman whose husband has just come home from Afghanistan, and she is having a hard time unearthing this thing called conversation, and so she tucks love letters throughout the house as a way to say, "Come back to me. Find me when you can." Or a girl who decides that she is going to leave love letters around her campus in Dubuque, Iowa, only to find her efforts ripple-effected the next day when she walks out onto the quad and finds love letters hanging from the trees, tucked in the bushes and the benches. Or the man who decides that he is going to take his life, uses Facebook as a way to say goodbye to friends and family. Well, tonight he sleeps safely with a stack of letters just like this one tucked beneath his pillow, scripted by strangers who were there for him when.
These are the kinds of stories that convinced me that letter-writing will never again need to flip back her hair and talk about efficiency, because she is an art form now, all the parts of her, the signing, the scripting, the mailing, the doodles in the margins. The mere fact that somebody would even just sit down, pull out a piece of paper and think about someone the whole way through, with an intention that is so much harder to unearth when the browser is up and the iPhone is pinging and we've got six conversations rolling in at once, that is an art form that does not fall down to the Goliath of "get faster," no matter how many social networks we might join. We still clutch close these letters to our chest, to the words that speak louder than loud, when we turn pages into palettes to say the things that we have needed to say, the words that we have needed to write, to sisters and brothers and even to strangers, for far too long. Thank you. (Applause) (Applause)