The Post About True Love Waits for KY Jelly

I am not a courageous person.

I'm no Daniel in the Lion's Den. I'm no Rosa Parks on the bus. I'm no Vin Diesel in Fast & Furious 6.

But this summer, I decided to be brave. I filled my seasonal bucket list with items to push my comfort zone out into the wilderness. Or at least the far end of the parking lot.

Let's start with #6: Speak at Arc Light Stories.

Arc Light explains it best:

Imagine sitting around the dinner table with your closest friends. You’ve just cleared the dishes, and you’re moving on to coffee, or possibly a glass of wine. Someone says: you’ll never believe what happened to me today. Listen to this... That’s Arc Light Stories. Inspired by events like The Moth in NYC, Arc Light Stories features live storytelling. No notes, no outlines. Just great storytellers sharing great (true) stories. Sometimes funny, sometimes moving, and always engaging, Arc Light Stories brings people together as only good stories can.

Photo via Arc Light Stories. By Todd Helzer.

My friend Jen invited me to an Arc Light event many moons ago and then I kept going because of the laughing so hard and feeling all the things.

When I added "Be brave" to my summer to-do list, I knew storytelling at Arc Light would be one of the ways it could be accomplished. 

Now you may be asking yourself, "Umm...you seem pretty outgoing Jamie. And just pretty. Why is telling a story such a big deal?" Great question you.

I've written about how extroverts like to be with people. They DON'T necessarily like to stand behind a microphone in front of them and tell a story. Especially when note cards are traded for bright lights.

 Photo via Arc Light Stories. By Todd Helzer.

I was terrified to email Arc Light's founder, Taylor Robinson. But I did.

I was terrified to preview the story to him in rehearsal. But I did.

I was terrified to step on stage. But I did.

 Photo via Arc Light Stories. By Todd Helzer.

The story I told was about purchasing KY Jelly for the first time for a friend on his wedding day, Not as a prank, but because he needed it. It's as unseemly as you might imagine.

Listen to my 9 minutes of humiliation on the Arc Light podcast found on iTunes.  I can be found at #2.

My voice in the first 30 seconds will indicate how close I was to nervously nauseating on the front row. But I didn't.

Have you been brave recently? Tell me.