The Messengers

Have you seen "The Messengers" on TLC? The following is straight from the show's official website...

The power and force of the spoken word and the motivation it inspires are the essence of the new TLC program The Messengers. This innovative eight-part series...has a simple yet lofty goal: to find America's next great inspirational speaker. Showcasing 10 speakers from a variety of perspectives, The Messengers explores their ability to communicate the many complexities of life’s toughest lessons. Along the way, the speakers address issues viewers face in their everyday lives and communities.

The Messengers is an innovative and uplifting series with challenging individual experiences that act as a catalyst for the celebration of inspirational public speaking in contemporary America. "The participants really have to walk the walk before they can talk the talk," said David Abraham, executive vice president and general manager for TLC.

The foundation of each episode is a field trip designed to give the speakers a profound learning experience – the opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes. In the first episode, the participants face the harsh reality of homelessness. They spend 24 hours on the streets of Skid Row in Los Angeles and then deliver speeches based on the topic of charity. In subsequent episodes, field trips range from the participants living as a blind or wheelchair-bound individual for a day, to sharing in a powerful moment of forgiveness between a man convicted of vehicular homicide and the deceased’s mother. At the end of each field trip, the group is given their speaking topic – one simple word such as hope, perseverance or forgiveness, to use as the basis for their speeches.

Given my chosen profession, it should come as no surprise that I really enjoy this show. I have found it to be inspirational, educational, and even frustrating at times. The aspect I appreciate the most about the show is the field trip. It is a personal philosophy of mine that a "messenger" needs to be authentic in their communication, and these field trips provide that authenticity. People can detect when your words are genuine and heartfelt rather than artificial and contrived.

If you haven't had a chance to watch this show, check it out and let me know what you think...

http://www.themessengers.com/sites/messengers/home.html