Culture of Silence

 

When I am frustrated, angry, sad, confused, hopeful, hopeless, excited, engaged, contemplative I write. Today I felt like I couldn’t get home soon enough to do just that … write … and release.

The last few weeks, the topic of silence has continued to be relevant for me. It started with someone I love becoming offended by a response I had to reading an article in class on how we live in a society that seeks to silence us, thereby causing a slow death of sorts (literally and figuratively), to a friend asking me an extremely personal question and me indulging in conversation only to ask a question in return and have them become … silent, to a subsequent article discussed in class today about there being power in silence, to witnessing how we can have very powerful stories but because don’t know how to be silent (with calculated sharing and responses) these stories are lost and/or lose power, to another conversation with another friend about our silence around specific topics such as obesity, to yet another post on this topic being one of the main areas where we need to be silent (paraphrasing) as it relates to the lives of others. That’s a lot of silence and non-silence!!!

My post today is simply a public affirmation that I will remember to choose carefully. When it is inappropriate, offensive or from any place other than love or concern, perhaps silence is the best route. But when my opinion is solicited or justice is at stake or I just feel a burning desire, my voice is absolutely warranted. It is my hope that the weight of others does not become my own to the point that I silence myself and that I always – or as often a possible – use my voice as a source of support, love, and encouragement – even if that means that very thing becomes an object of attack. And finally, I am learning that when my openness – my voice – is not welcomed or embraced I have the courage to seek spaces of affirmation where I am able to speak. Freely.