Importance of Sharing What Is Important

We all have many things we leave unsaid.  In writing blogs, I take substantial risk of being misunderstood and criticized.  Expressing ourselves is always a risk.  In a essay, called Sister Outsider,  Audrey Lord, poet and activist, shortly after she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, wrote:

"I have come to believe that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.  In becoming forcibly aware of my mortality, of what I wished and wanted for my life, howerver short it might be, priorities and ommissions became strongly etched in a merciless light and what I most regretted were my silences.  I was going to die, sooner or later whether or not I had spoken myself.  My silences had not protected me; your silences will not protect you.

"We can learn to work and speak when we are afraid in the same way we can learn to work and speak when we are tired.  For we have been socialized to respect fear more than our own needs for language and definition.  And while we wait in silence for the final luxury of fearlessness, the weight of silence will choke us."  End of quote.

This little essay really struck a cord with me.  For years I did not write because I was reluctant to expose my imperfections.  I will now persevere and give my ideas voice and I thank Project X Ltd.  and Stephen for giving me the opportunity and encouragement to contribute.  I strive to have the courage to be imperfect.

If you something to share, I encourage you to take the risk and put it out there.  If you help even one person, you have been rewarded.

 

  1. Jim Hayward Reply

    This is a comment from a reader who wishes to remain anonymous.
    “Jim, thank you so much for the words of wisdom. Today I overcame my hesitation and passed along something I wrote over the weekend and have been sitting on for 3 days. Even if the case I presented is disregarded, I am glad I went on record with what I felt I had to say. I could have just kept my head down and my mouth shut, but having read your blog, I feel I did the right thing, regardless of the outcome.”

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