Stuttering made me more empathetic and accepting of people with any disability. Ironically, stuttering made me more outgoing. I tried to be perfect (it’s from having a pushy Jewish mom) in other ways; playing the piano, running marathons, volunteering with youth, etc. Ive met people through those hobbies that became life-long friends, because my stuttering was secondary. I’ve had people tell me that I’m outgoing. I guess. I’m pretty much a home-body when I’m not playing the piano at church, or for friends, or running marathons. When I was in college in the early 1970s, piano bars were really popular. I got my first job in a piano bar playing and singing. That boosted my confidence immensely. I wasn’t identified as a stutterer, I was identified as a musician. I think that made the difference in succeeding in other areas of my life.