“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world” –Dead Poets Society
Thank you all for the incredible response to the last post. To say that it was unexpected would be terribly insufficient. It further stands to prove the power of words and ideas, and how very much we need to stand behind them.
I cannot say that I am any better than my peers in taking a stand when it counts, but I have found several great role models. Although I am still finding my voice, I always look to others as sources of inspiration. I would love nothing more than to share them with you, and hope that you put them to good use.
“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.”
– Ayn Rand
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
I hope you all are able to find a voice within you, and are able to open your mouth and speak. However, please do not discount the views of others. Having a voice does not entitle you to belittle others, it is meant to be an invitation to others, perhaps even an example to them. We all have something of value to contribute.
Open Your Eyes, Your Mind Will Follow 