Article Link: http://www.exchangepress.com/article/a-manner-of-speaking/5015280/
What is it, really, that tips the balance from I can't, shouldn't, wouldn't, couldn't, won't to yes, I will? When is a reason just an excuse? Isn't it always okay for us to say no to any addition to our fully-packed lives?Little did I know that during an innocent conversation with Evelyn K. Moore at a National Black Child Development Institute conference a few years ago, a seed was being planted that would impact my own decision-making. She probably wasn't thinking of power and influence either when she said, "I'm going to learn Spanish. I've always wanted to do this and now I really am going to make it happen." There was a certain punch to her statement - a tone of I'm done with messing around with things I want to do and never make happen.
So the seed lay dormant until friends from Latin America challenged me: "If the World Forum is really going to be in Acapulco, then you must learn Spanish." Certainly a fair proposal since each of them had added English to their repertoire of languages learned. I can't take this on . . . I have so much to do and Spanish is ...