Gumbo gets into the studio every morning and, on air, he sounds confident. On the mic, his voice is clear and people listen to him without hesitation. Off the radio, however, he stumbles over his own words and feels uncomfortable talking to others. It's not that he doesn't want to do it, it's just that his ideas get tangled up and it's clear that he's different from how he appears on the radio. Daniel, his longtime friend, knows well what happens and usually accompanies him in those moments, either while they wait for coffee or wandering around the studio hallways. One day, in the middle of a live show, Gumbo told a story about a normal day. Suddenly, the phone rang and a call came in. The listener's voice was direct and, without giving it much thought, he pointed out something that Gumbo had said. The intervention was brief, but it left Gumbo thinking. That call reminded him that, although on the air he seemed to have everything under control, inside he felt confused and clumsy.
After the show, he sat in the studio while Daniel offered him another coffee, and between the loose pauses, they discussed what had happened. Daniel told him something blunt, like, “Hey, you don’t have to be perfect.” It wasn’t a deep talk, just words that, little by little, started to make sense. Then a few days passed and the station organized a broadcast where people were invited to freely give their opinions. Gumbo signed up, even though he felt unsure. During the broadcast, he had to answer another call that took him out of his comfort zone, but he did it because Daniel was supporting him. From the break room, Daniel gave him a look that said “well done,” although they didn’t say much. It was a little push for Gumbo to realize that he didn’t have to force things.
Over time, Gumbo began to notice changes. With each broadcast, he allowed himself to let out a little more of the real part of himself. He made mistakes sometimes, stuttered in some sentences, but he didn't care as much anymore. The radio became less rigid and seemed more like an improvised chat than a rehearsed program. After each broadcast, he and Daniel would sit down to talk without a fixed plan, like when you talk to a friend on any given afternoon. They didn't discuss big topics, they just commented on the strange moments and small successes of the day. The routine became established and, although nothing changed overnight, Gumbo began to feel less pressured. In the studio, when the microphone was on, he let himself be carried away by naturalness, without trying to pretend what people expected of him. The words came out simple, sometimes with an insecure tone, but always real. Daniel was still there, reminding him that he didn't have to worry about each word, that the important thing was to show who he really was, without embellishments.
As the evening fell and the lights in the studio went out, Gumbo would stay alone for a while, thinking about what had happened. It wasn't a great lesson, but he was slowly coming to understand that being himself was enough. Radio was still his job, but the idea of showing his flaws no longer seemed so overwhelming. Daniel would gather his things and sometimes they would make unceremonious comments about what had happened on the air. No speeches or complicated words, just the reality of another day.
The truth is that Gumbo learned that making mistakes was also part of being serious. Life at the station didn't become perfect, but it became more bearable knowing that he didn't have to force an image that wasn't his. After that, each program was simply an attempt to communicate, sometimes clumsy and sometimes a little confusing, but always sincere. What really mattered was being yourself.
Credits: The images used are free to use and royalty free. They were taken from pixabay. .