Your Voice.

Have you ever heard life compared to a story? And you’re actions compared to words? Do you know that each person is writing their own story and it’s told in their own voice?

            You’re voice is not just made up of the words you say. It’s who you are. To the very depths of your soul—your passions, your dreams, your hopes, and your fears. It’s this voice that tells your story, and it’s this voice that speaks into the lives of other people. I’m here to ask that you make sure it’s worth listening to.

            Some people don’t know what their voice sounds like; some have forgotten. Some people have been through things that others can’t even comprehend. And sometimes that makes their voice a bit weaker. It’s not as loud or as well known as others and their voice gets lost in the crowd. People like this need others to strengthen them, to protect them, and to love them. All of us have the choice to either add to the deafening chaos of the crowd, or to stand by the ones who can’t speak for themselves.

            I’m not here to accuse anyone of acting one way or the other; I’m only here to remind you of the choice. It’s devastating to lose your own voice, to forget who you are. I have seen so many people who suffer through this. I watch as the voices of the people around them, put them down, laugh at them, and then forget them. They’ve been through too much to fight back. They have no voice.

            It’s paralyzing to feel like you’ll never be able to speak. Like your voice will never matter. And although I’m just as guilty as the next person, it breaks my heart to watch as people I pass in the hallway, throw out words like they have no meaning. Our voices matter—more than we will ever know. Careless words can do just as much damage as a stray bullet. If we make the mistake of thinking that there are no consequences for our harsh words, mean glances, and jokes at the expense of others, than we need to wake up.

            You won’t see the tears, and you won’t see the pain. But it’s there. I guarantee it. You’re voice can break someone more easily than anything else. But if you choose to be different—your voice can strengthen them, it can protect them, and it can remind them how to speak.

            I knew a girl once who didn’t know how to speak, only because she had forgotten that she had a voice. And it took a long time, filled with voices that tore her down, and voices that built her back up, for her to remember. For her to realize that she did have a voice; that she mattered.

            And that’s really what I want, for people like her, who feel like they’re worthless, to remember that they have a voice, and that that voice matters. You may not always know who these people are. You might know some, but you certainly don’t know all. We can’t always see what someone’s holding back, what someone might be hiding. You don’t know everyone’s story.  How well do you even know your own?

            As you go through your days, try to be different. You have a voice. It’s what you say, but even more than that, it’s who you are. You can speak into the lives of other people, and break them down. You can make them forget that they matter, just so your voice becomes a little bit louder. Or you can choose to strengthen them, to protect them, to cancel out the lies they’ve heard. You can remind them how to speak.

            Your voice speaks into the lives of those around you, so please make sure it’s worth listening to.