Cool Cool

Mike had a number of personal attributes and abilities that I admired. One of these qualities was that Mike never appeared to get nervous or flustered under pressure and was great at public speaking. In morning medical rounds, students and residents would regularly get centred out and quizzed in front of a large group of their peers. While many would get visibly distressed and stumble or blank on questions, Mike would be cool as a cucumber. His answers were always well thought out and organized and he made things look easy.
I was reminded of Mike's aptitude for public speaking this past weekend as I was listening to speeches at a wedding. It brought me back to that beautiful summer day in Kingston at the Faculty Club when Sarah and Mike were married. That day I asked him before the ceremony if he had a speech written out. He said he had a few words or phrases on a piece of paper but he was going to pretty much wing it.
This is opposite of me. Before I could get up and speak I need a speech written in advance and rehearesd many times before I feel ready. For Mike it was no big deal. He could think on the fly and speak from the heart at the same time. At one point in his speech, I remember Mike, off the cuff, describing Sarah as ....'so beautiful that I see you as beautiful even when my eyes are closed'
A window into the true 'Rainbow Love Connection' that he felt with Sarah.

Tom