Self confidence

Week before last I attended a presentation of sorts and as I entered the room the presenter gave me a most warm smile while walking towards me and extended her hand to me to shake. As I shook her hand I had a strange moment....something felt strange in the hand grip between us.As I released our clasp I realised she doesnt have four fingers. She only has a thumb which I soon discovered after taking my seat and glancing her way.

I sat there throughout the presentation watching how she presented herself and I was so fascinated...not once did this lady attempt to hide her deformed hand and used it so confidently while talking.She is one of those expressive types who uses their hands alot while talking.I also noticed that she had a way of gripping things in her hand with her thumb and with such ease and confidence.I could see people around the table whispering about her hand and I just sat there in awe of this womans self-confidence.There she was trying to sell us a product and not once did I pick up any struggle with her hand or attempt to hide it.

I found myself wondering if she was born with a deformity or did she lose it in an accident.Well whatever it was I am sure she had been through a tough time at some stage in her life dealing with this and I sat there proud of her for being in a job where both her hands are required to do a presentation infront of people and she just got on with it without a hint of a lack of confidence in her appearance or a hint of an insecurity around what people will think or ask. She confidently put out her hand to shake everyones hands that walked into that room without an anticipation of having to explain what has happened to her hand...I left there grateful for both my hands and their abilities as well as a lesson to myself on self confidence.

You probably could place a spin on it and ask if it is suitable to have someone present with a deformity as it might take the attention off the product she is selling...I felt that her personality, confidence,presentation skills was a winner for the product as the room sure were engaged....I am a special case who often ponders about things the next one wouldnt ordinarily be pondering about(a bit like Amelie from the movie)so there was I present in her presentation yet in another world simultaneously thinking about her life story.