If you want to know the common thread that weaves throughout everything that I write, it is this: to give voice to those topics that our culture prefers to hide. I prefer to take these topics out of the closet and shine light onto them. We live in an age of “smiling depressives”, people who would rather fake being happy than actually look at the root of their suffering. We are also in an age of moral cowardice, a time when people hide behind dangerous trends like “political correctness”, “objectivity”, and “religious fatalism”.
My childhood was cloaked in silence, and I was powerless to do anything about it. Even after I left home, I spent decades in silence, keeping secret that which I had lived through. I thought my silence proved that I had power over my past, but I now believe the opposite to be true: our secrets have power over us.
Now that I know the danger of keeping secrets, I am a proponent of transparency. I believe it is the way forward for us personally and globally. To that end, I do my part by taking a stand when I feel strongly about something. Not a popular trait in a country whose inhabitants are known for their politeness. But I was not socialized by my country; I was moulded by childhood trauma, a much more potent force than any social institution.
It has taken me decades to find my voice, to overcome the conspiracy of silence that pervades our culture. My life is dedicated to the pursuit of truth and justice. To this end, I have a responsibility to use my voice, not only for myself but for those who have been silenced.
It’s so true that be opening up about challenges, issues…that hold us “hostage” sometimes for years and give power to the negative and negative people in our lives, is so important. It can be difficult though to break through, find the courage to do so. I look forward to reading your life story Margo. You have a lot to be proud of. So glad to have found my way to your site and blog today.
Happy Thanksgiving, G