What do you personally fear most in life? I imagine that most of you would say dying, and there are surveys that validate that response. However, often ranking in second place − and occasionally coming in first − is public speaking.

Michael Silverman, of Amherst, is glad he took the time to learn public speaking.

Up until 10th grade, I would have agreed. Starting in the sixth grade, English teachers in my district required all students to give oral presentations. I recall that my assignment then was to write and read to the class a short and humorous piece, maybe five minutes at most.

I thought I had made a solid choice: I was going to emulate an announcer at a bullfight competition, complete with some silly advertisements. It sounded hilarious when I read it over to myself, but my effort to convey to the class the intended humor lost something in translation. There was barely a snicker to be heard.

Meanwhile, my father spoke eloquently to gatherings. He sometimes took me to his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings where he impressed me with his ability to regale others with his personal stories of addiction.

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