Rocky (Rap Song)
What my dog Rocky has taught me about awareness, presence, and taking a break, delivered as a rap, because a blog post dared me to.
Photo by dole777 on Unsplash*
I read a piece by Vishnu Moulish once that stuck with me: Toastmasters ain't about speaking and spitting words, quotes, or rhymes — it's about finding your own distinctive way of speaking. I took that as a challenge, so this speech is a rap, about my dog Rocky, written to see how much hip-hop delivery could bring to public speaking.
The rap itself is a tribute to Rocky's character. But the real point of the speech was four things he's taught me without knowing it:
1. Awareness & protection. Rocky is constantly reading the room around him, always a little on guard. I've tried to bring that same awareness into my own meditation practice, as a way of pushing back against how distracted everything else makes me.
2. Love. He shows affection constantly, without conditions attached. No agenda, no keeping score.
3. Presence. Having a companion who's genuinely there for you changes how you show up for other people. It's part of why I try to actually prioritize time with friends instead of just scheduling around it.
4. Mental health. Rocky needs his walks, and so do I. They're a built-in reminder to step away from work and actually reset.
I closed with a few photos of him. It landed better than I expected, and got called out as the most interesting speech that meeting, with people specifically calling out the mix of rap, visuals, and delivery tone.