Sometimes speaking our truth brings great anguish and hurt. Recently I spoke my truth. Not only were my words misconstrued, but my truth was trampled. The result was hurtful, but I don't regret speaking my truth. I thought long and hard about the words I used and the truth I spoke--I knew I had to relay the message because to stay silent meant that others could be hurt.
Sometimes we pay a price for speaking our truth, and that price makes us think long and hard about how we spoke, what we said and the repercussions that follow. In this case, to stay silent, meant that cruel words and acts might continue, and now, even after speaking my truth, if those acts and words continue, at least people will know I do not support that.
When we speak our truth and people enlighten us, we may find that we revise our statements. For example, when I spoke my truth, if people had responded with facts and figures that proved me wrong, I may have revised my statement, changed my mind, altered the what I know to be true, but that wasn't the case. I've yet to hear any words, facts or figures that alter my stance in any way. A look at history and current events, makes me hold fast to the truths I expressed.
If we can all work to have honest, respectful conversation with one another as well as to hear each other's truths and consider all sides of those truths, we might prevent some of the hardship that can happen.
When people don't hear us accurately or respect our truth, we may be best to distant ourselves from those persons for some time or all time. I will think about this over time Oward.