"You don't like the sound of the truth coming from my mouth" is the first line of this song by the Dixie Chicks. They learned this the hard way when they spoke out against war from a stage in London and ended up with FBI protection because of credible death threats.
Now whether you agree or disagree with the position they took, supposedly we all live in democracies which guarantee us freedom of speech. But the Dixie Chicks found out what is absolutely true in our world which is that when we speak our truth, we may not win any popularity contests!
Recently, I chose to speak my truth to someone close to me. It did not go down well. I could have lied, either by simply not saying how I felt or by speaking a lie outright. I chose to speak my truth. Why am I doing this I thought even as I said the words. I will tell you why.
I grew up in a world where the truth was in short supply. I saw how the absence of truth wounded and maimed, not just those to whom the lies were told but also those who lied. I have seen personally and professionally the legacy that lies leave behind. Sometimes it takes generations to undo the damage.
So I think of my daughters and the legacy I want to leave them. My hope for them is that they will grow up in a world where truth is valued. I want them to know that they can speak their truth. I want them to comfortable speaking their truth. In the end, like every parent, I want them to have what I did not.
Now whether you agree or disagree with the position they took, supposedly we all live in democracies which guarantee us freedom of speech. But the Dixie Chicks found out what is absolutely true in our world which is that when we speak our truth, we may not win any popularity contests!
Recently, I chose to speak my truth to someone close to me. It did not go down well. I could have lied, either by simply not saying how I felt or by speaking a lie outright. I chose to speak my truth. Why am I doing this I thought even as I said the words. I will tell you why.
I grew up in a world where the truth was in short supply. I saw how the absence of truth wounded and maimed, not just those to whom the lies were told but also those who lied. I have seen personally and professionally the legacy that lies leave behind. Sometimes it takes generations to undo the damage.
So I think of my daughters and the legacy I want to leave them. My hope for them is that they will grow up in a world where truth is valued. I want them to know that they can speak their truth. I want them to comfortable speaking their truth. In the end, like every parent, I want them to have what I did not.
RSS Feed