The Things We Never Say Out Loud
There are truths that live quietly in our hearts—too fragile, too complicated, or too dangerous to voice. We carry them alone, tucked behind polite smiles and carefully chosen words, afraid of what might happen if they ever escape into the open.
We fear judgment. We fear misunderstanding. We fear that once spoken, these truths will change how people see us—or worse, confirm the things they already whisper behind closed doors.
I have learned that silence can be heavy. It settles into the body like a stone, pressing down with each passing year. But speaking is risky. To put our truth into words is to step into the unknown, to surrender control over how it will be received.
And yet, I have also learned this: in finding words, we claim freedom. In speaking the unspoken, we invite connection. We give others permission to see themselves in us. We create the possibility of empathy, healing, and understanding.
Sometimes the bravest act is simply to speak—not to convince, not to defend, but to release what we’ve been holding.
Because truth, once freed, no longer has the power to imprison us.
