Beating the fear of stuttering

I think, for me at least, just finally accepting the fact that stuttering is a part of me and that it is not a "problem" to hide or fix has helped me stutter less. Gee, it would have been nice if I had learned this long ago! Maybe one of those therapists I went to in school had tried to teach me that, but I didn't want to listen to them then, not unless they could fix my mouth easily and quickly. Now, I know they did their best but I wasn't a good student. I was ashamed to have to leave class and go to speech. If all of the other kids had had to go to speech, too, it would have been different. If there were more who stuttered, life would not have seemed so cruel. I was piced on because I was not normal. I am still treated as "not normal" by some. I have learned that they are not worth my time and I don't need them. I keep people as friends if they can accept me as I am. I may never become like Joe Biden and be able to make great speeches in front of large crowds, but then I might!!