So many thanks to Two Writing Teachers for sponsoring the March 2015 Slice of Life blog challenge. This community of writers’ support and encouragement is a gift. Here is my 8th post this month.
Tempestuous Words.
Difficult words.
Unspoken words.
Her life spiraled around and around them as she played with changes and foundational ideas that begged expression.
Words too often left unsaid for fear. Fear of stirring the sleeping giant of angry unkindness in another.
Words shoved so far down they threatened to bubble up, boil over, disrupt.
Inside they churned and turned and caused considerable disquiet. Until, she had no choice.
She began to let them seep out. Gently, carefully, soberly, sound by terrifying sound. She began pulling up the words from inside that made her stomach churn and her heart ache. Shakily at first, she would string them together. Slowly gathering courage to say words that would generate structural shifts in relationships, work and the future of not only her life but the lives of those she loved most. No choice. She put the words together and grew stronger because she spoke them.
She began to live like she was not afraid.
Her mind whispered, “You’re crazy. Be careful”. Her heart said, “Speak and do not stop until you land in a place you love, flourish, and can breathe.” Off she went speaking one frightening word at a time, one truth and then another.
Words spiraled, swirled, crashed and crescendoed together creating, connections, growing ideas, and forging a path.
She gathered increasing courage to say the words. She grew stronger, and discoveries became clearer. She came to trust the world would catch her when she fell – even when she fell hard. She learned she was stronger than she looked…a lot stronger. She came to know that regardless of what she feared, she must continue to let her words spill out and over, with kindness and courage. She would have died trying to hold them back. She could never have truly lived until she spoke the words.
Credit and gratitude to Michael Ezra and Juan Osborne for the first beautiful image on this post.
Be Strong. Be Courageous. Be You. 
Speaking up often requires more courage than one might expect. But it’s also sometimes the most important thing to do. Thank you for posting this today. It’s a great reminder to let my voice be heard.
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Isn’t that true! Perhaps especially as a woman … Loving Sheryl Sandburg’s Lean In. Say it! 😊
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