Member-only story
A couple of years ago, my youngest daughter was published in a youth literature anthology. (The Inklings Book 2018)
During her author Q&A, she said an amazing thing about the personal power of her voice. She said, “…these words are mine, and they matter…” Even then, at just 13, she was insightful beyond her years..
If you know me, you know that I was trying, unsuccessfully, to keep the proud papa tears on the inside. But I held back my tears well enough to understand the enormity of what she said.
It was just 7 words. An utterance that took maybe a second to flow out of her mouth. But in that 1 second, those 7 words, spoken to a stranger from atop a rickety stage 3000 miles away from home, my daughter spoke the truth.
Not a truth.
Not her truth.
But the truth.
What you think and feel and say matter.
The stories you tell matter.
The expressions of love you give matter.
The opportunities you create matter.
The ballads of victory and defeat that you sing matter.
The words of respect that you choose matter.
The honesty of the words you tell yourself matter.
The words that you hang on the…
