Loud and Proud
J.K. Rowling has had her share of success and failure… and her story has been as romanticized and been given a “fairy tale ending”. Her speech at Harvard’s commencement goes into some detail about it, but beyond her own experience, she urges the audience to imagine the lives of others, and to give those who don’t have a voice, the power to be heard.
This has been one of my personal missions.
My eighth grade graduation “present” (a suggestion printed in the yearbook) from the staff was a megaphone, as I was known for being “loud”. At the time, I was hurt… grown women poking fun at a vulnerable young girl’s ability to make her voice heard. At moments like those, the strong voice inside got smaller and weaker.
A string of those moments throughout the years, and being called names I won’t repeat hear made that voice shrink until I almost fell down my own well of silence.
It was through much heartache, doubt, fear, and strife that I built myself back up…many times over.
And today, hearing how strong my voice is, one would never know it.
Having almost lost my voice, and having to work so hard to make it heard, I realize what a privilege it is to be heard — often without ever opening my mouth.
I believe that we are all right here, right now, to serve a purpose on this earth, and I’m so blessed to know mine.
–Sue
Add comment February 8th, 2010
