One of the most underrated values in our culture is respect and the understanding that everything we say and do matters.  It matters because it is a voice – it is powerful- it demands value- it demands to be heard.  All voices – regardless of if you agree or disagree- can and should be heard. 

But with a caveat.

This caveat is that a voice must speak truth – has to know to be quiet at times – seek to further others, not tear other down.  We are not free to destroy one another with our voices. To speak – to have a voice- is powerful, but to stand in the silence – the grace – to hear is the true power.

To have a voice is one of the most powerful tools we grant each other – whether it is the power we grant a friend to speak into our lives, or a mentor to speak truth into our future, or a significant other to speak to our hearts, or to those different than ourselves to speak experience into our worldview.  Words have power and require us to respect one another.  When we do not give each other a voice, we are taking away power. We are saying that their life does not matter, that their experiences do not matter, that they are alone.

To have a voice is one of the most powerful tools we grant each other.

I could sit here and list the divisions our world, our country, or our society are prone to explore right now; but instead of rehashing the negative, I want to focus on the solution.  In this day and age, too many people stand in the polarity.  Not many are walking the middle ground.  Not many are willing to sit down and have a conversation – a conversation to understand – to shape a worldview from the experiences of others.  Not many are willing to dig deep into these issues, into these divisions, into these hard topics and admit that they may be wrong or that they may not be as right as they once thought. 

We live in a culture where social media makes everyone’s voice seem louder and where people feel the freedom to say even more because a screen separates us.  But maybe just maybe this is part of the problem?  Maybe if we stopped screaming, stopped fighting so hard to defend our polarity, stopped attacking one another; we would find that we are all human and all trying to make the best of our lives, that we can disagree and still be respectful and care for one another.

To not have the conversation because of discomfort is the definition of privilege… Your comfort is not at the center.  That’s not how this works….The people who are being persecuted are not responsible for building the table where the conversation will take place.

Brene Brown

I love this quote because what our society needs is for leadership that walks in the discomfort of the issues we are facing and leads the conversation.  These conversations will always be uncomfortable but if we keep shying away from the fact that there are issues to be addressed and movement that we need to make as a world then we will continue to live in the polarity and voices will continue to be ignored. 

To have a voice is one of the most powerful tools we grant each other and its time we came to the table.