Accelerate! (a tribute to the National Speakers Association)

Did you ever wake up and wonder why you were here?

Jana’s song playing in your head: “What would you do if you didn’t have fear?”

Did you ever wonder why you woke up today?

And what keeps calling you back to NSA?

Well you can stop wondering, I’ll tell you why

It’s to fulfill Cavett Robert’s vision of a bigger pie

It’s to make a difference in the lives of those who hold up half the sky

It’s to pay it forward in a spirit of service

And so we step up on this stage confident, and nervous

Sometimes verbose and sometimes wordless

But we keep going on because we have one purpose

For we know that on life’s highway too many pump their brakes

But we know when others say “stop” that we mustn’t hesitate

And so we accelerate

ACCELERATE!

Speeding up our mission in a down economy

Not just for profits but for the prosperity of our progeny

And so we accelerate

ACCELERATE!

Putting more stamps on our passport through all means of transport

To build with our brethren now because life is too short

I said we accelerate

ACCELERATE!

Patricia Fripping our way into a brighter day

Dan Poyntering our way to write what we have to say

We Accelerate

ACCELERATE!

Lenorally meeting the diverse needs of our clients

Driving our Ron Karrs on Naomi Rhode’s highway of success

And having a Willey Jolley good time as we grow to our best

Steve Spangling audiences with our speaking prowess

With the perseverance of Hayley Brown

We get up when life knocks us down

Blowing our Sam Horns to anyone who will listen

Shining the spotlight on others for we don’t always need to glisten

And so when the economy is weak

And they ask “So you still think you can speak?”

We tell them that it’s not just about the financial figures

It’s about Patrick Henry calling on us all to get bigger

When they say the climate is cold, Vernice says we’re cleared hot

So let’s put on our Armour and fight until we’re on top

We tell them that we can never slow down so when they tell us we’re insane

We just keep planting seeds of tomorrow like Nido Qubein

For we don’t have to be great to started but must get started to be great

The finish line is in site, but to reach it we must accelerate

ACCELERATE!

ACCELERATE!

ACCELERATE!