Students at certain universities are not known for their benevolence toward visiting speakers, especially those with conservative and/or Christian views. As I waited my turn to speak at the outdoor free speech platform of one of these schools, I felt butterflies in my stomach. What I say had better be right on or it would be shoved back down my throat. If the students were not interested in my topic or how I developed it, they would simply ignore me.
As I stepped up to speak, the crowd was noisy and not particularly hospitable. There was no public address system so I had to rely on old-fashioned lung power to be heard. I had only a few seconds to grab their attention. The butterflies were still there as I began. “Almost every one of you has two fears. First, you are afraid you will never be loved. Second, you are afraid you will never be able to love.”
The noise suddenly evaporated and everyone turned in my direction, suddenly eager to hear where I was going with my bold opening. I wasn’t surprised, because I knew my statement would strike a nerve. Most students readily identify with these two deep fears. Psychologists believe that this “love famine” is one reason many young men and women get involved in premarital sex.
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