Sarah, a girl of 16, sat at the extreme end of the hall afraid of the crowd. This wasn't the first contest she was nominated for, but each time she noticed the crowd looking in her direction, she was always nervous.
"There she is in the dark hiding" one of the women whose child was also nominated said.
"I hope she makes her parents proud this time, she is always unable to answer any question when facing the audience, " another replied. Her mum sat calmly, a bit tense, hoping her daughter would make it this time to the finals, that's only if she had learned to overcome her fears.
Sarah's mum never gave up on her. She never showed any disappointment for the three times Sarah was kicked out of the contest.
"I believe in you" she always says and afterward teaches her to become bold. Sarah was always doing well among her friends until she met strangers. After the third time, her mum decided to make her speak in public at every given opportunity.
"If you can't look them in the face, you can look away and allow yourself to feel free" her mum would advise. She bought books for Sarah to read on courage and speaking in public hoping it will help her gain confidence.
[Photo source](https://pixabay.com/images/id-2572874/)
Sarah's mum sat amidst the crowd pretending not to hear the chuckles those women made when Sarah was called out.
"A little stare at her eyes, she'd be lost for words" one of the women said, looking in the direction of Sarah's mum. Agnes, Sarah's mum, sat quietly as she watched her daughter step forward, her head bent , and her feet shaking.
"Feel relaxed and do your best," one of the men in the committee said. He gave her time to compose then began to ask questions. Sarah answered all the questions thrown to her and with perfect explanations to them. Agnes, surprised at how confident her daughter had answered the Questions shouted "that's my daughter" she smiled evenly as she turned the direction of the women who had been gossiping.
"I'm proud of my daughter," she said.
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