No pictures needed

In contrast to what I wrote yesterday, sometimes it's effective to leave the slide presentation at home and present without a presentation aid.

A few years back I attended a series of lectures related to the autoimmune condition known as scleroderma and the need for medical treatment, support systems and fundraising.  I had the pleasure of hearing from a scleroderma patient, advocates, medical professionals and...a professional make up artist.

I didn't know what to expect when the make up artist took the podium.  She was soft spoken and unassuming but she delivered a powerful and carefully prepared speech.  She started out by talking about her experiences working with celebrities on movie sets and in glamorous locales.  It was certainly interesting to hear about a line of work that was new to me, but what really grabbed my attention was when she segued into a touching story about applying makeup to someone who suffered from an autoimmune condition that led to excessive growths all over her face and neck.  The speaker took the time to describe the woman's fragile demeanor and lowered self esteem and how that changed as she took the time to carefully apply make up to her face.   It was the first time this woman had bothered to have makeup applied and the process of someone doing so had a therapeutic and empowering effect on the woman.

There were no before and after pictures.  We had to rely on the presenter's words to convey to us the transformation that had taken place.  The power of her carefully chosen words were felt by everyone in the room.  The presenter read slowly and dramatically from a prepared manuscript, not something I typically recommend.  But in this case, it worked beautifully in conveying the deeply personal process of making over someone physically, spiritually and emotionally.

Even though I have never seen a picture of this woman, the story was told with such detail and insight that I have never forgotten it.