Say What You Want (and Need) to Say

“... and since your history of silence won’t do you any good, did you think it would? Let your words be anything but empty, why don't you tell them the truth?”

So go a few lines of Sarah Barielles anthem to speaking up. Saying what‘s on your mind. Having an opinion and expressing it. Giving credence to your own thoughts.

Because if you don‘t, who will?

That’s not something we as young girls are taught to do. We are taught, however subtly, to keep quiet, agree, acquiesce, do anything but challenge the status quo and those who know better than we do. It’s a pervasive and pernicious sensibility that informs everything about our lives.

I like to think I taught my own daughters that lesson well enough — that they have instilled in themselves the courage to agree or disagree, whichever suits them in any particular situation.

Personally, I‘m coming to that lesson a bit late, having lived too long with the idea that I need to make everyone around me happy, even if that meant silencing my own voice. Just keep quiet and go along.

But I implore you (and myself) not to keep quiet. Not to simply go along. Avoid causing unnecessary pain or anguish to any living thing, including yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The Golden Rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Treat others as you would like to be treated, then treat yourself that same way.

And say what you want to say.