Toastmasters discuss freedom of speech

The theme for Monday’s Honeydew Toastmasters meeting, Free Speech was perfectly telling to the upcoming Freedom Day public holiday. On April 25, members of the Toastmasters Club in Honeydew shared their connotations of freedom and how they expressed themselves through speech.

The first speaker of the evening, Chelcea Soal shared a story about her family and the traditions that have kept them close. Titled ‘Moments that are good for the soul’ she said, “I come from a unique family of 22 people. We get together and have ‘choccy night’ every Friday when we enjoy pizza and chocolate. We get together, share stories and everything happening in our lives. When days seem dark, my gran always encourages us to keep singing. I may not know what kind of chocolate I will get in life but I always remember God’s love.”

The second speaker, Emilia Mosima’s speech touched on navigating silent conflict. “Ever felt like you were in conflict but couldn’t tell why?” she asked before she shared a story about a time she was embroiled in a silent conflict with someone. “It is not always easy to resolve silent conflicts because there are typically no words. It can make you think twice and even cause anxiety. Silent conflict is usually caused by miscommunication and avoidance.” She said silent conflict deserved silent conflict management which can include observing, taking notes or journaling the experience.

“Observe every action you are receiving. Give yourself grace, you may have said something that hurt the other party. Don’t make assumptions and don’t share assumptions with other people. Do not confront the other person without evidence. Don’t employ an-eye-for-an-eye tactics.”

During table topics, speakers discussed different ways they expressed their freedom, and ultimately what freedom of speech truly meant to them.