Learning to Voice My Truth

Learning Boundaries

Words

They are spoken, written, sung, signed, words surround us, swamp us. They are spoken with inflection, they are roared, raged, whispered softly, reverently, they berate, ignite love or hate. They fan flames or extinguish the spirit. Words are seldom recognized for the power found within them. Most people fear the transient fear of “the sticks and stones will break my bones” and fail to see the power wielded by words writing them off as nothing, not seeing the eternal scars and heartbreak from a misspoken word that cause years of harm. Words bring families together or tears them apart. They start wars and make amends. Words are simple and yet profound and seldom shown the respect they deserve. Next time you go to utter them think on the lasting impact they have.

Learning to Voice My Truth

Your anger is cold, it rips me apart,

It is like a spray of bullets,

Shattering my Heart.

I keep secret the pain,

Until it bursts forth!

No longer mine to keep,

I share with this world.

I have kept silent not giving myself a voice,

I have kept secret who I am,

This weighs heavy on my soul.

I often deflect with a smile and a laugh,

As I secretly sorrow for who I am not.

I swallow back words of my heart,

I fear where it can lead.

I keep my peace choking on words

Words that can only lead to heartbreak and hurt.

Secretly they ferment bubbling poisoning inside.

My secrets hurt no one!

I tell myself believing the lie.

But secrets have a habit of hollowing you out,

Leaving a shell of who you were and nothing else.

Yet when I give voice to myself,

And sing of my light,

I am condemned out of hand,

Without you seeking my side!

I have often remained mute,

Friend to all,

I deny my thoughts and feelings,

While adopting yours.

I am waking from my slumber,

Only beginning to realize,

I have power in me

In claiming myself!

I am allowed to be ME!

Not conforming to demands,

Not pleading for acceptance or apologizing for who I am.

I understand I will lose people and this will hurt,

But if I am not loved for my truth,

Then what have I lost?

I could not lose what I did not have.

You might not know my worth,

But I am beginning to understand!

I am enough as I am!

I am enough as me!

I have worth,

I have value by simply being me!

This is what I need to remember,

As I live in this world,

Travelling her paths and traversing her trials,

I need to be brave, courageous, and true.

Embracing my voice,

Expressing my truth,

I am who I am no more needs to be said.

Except hello and where have you been?