Little Girls, I Hear You...
It helps that you are so damn loud, to be perfectly honest.
Why not? Life is short. Why say “I’m so excited” when you can squeal with delight? Why waste time saying “That hurt” when you can cry? Why say “That’s funny!” when you can throw your head back and belly laugh?
I love you to pieces but dang, my ears are ringing. I’m an adult with worries and concerns that you cannot yet comprehend! I do have to keep everyone alive, after all. That’s not always popsicles and rainbows, either. It’s hard and the commotion makes it impossible to hear myself think.
They warned me this would happen!
I remember being told that my son would be rough and destructive and you, my beautiful goddaughters and cousins, would be loud. They were right about some things and wrong about...most others. But they certainly nailed that last part. It's okay!
BE LOUD! And don’t stop, at least not on my account!
There will be people who tell you to settle down, be quiet, and compose yourself. Sometimes they will be right, there are moments in life where you need to wrangle that spirit in for a bit. Moments that require a softer tone, less noise, and more listening. It’s normally easy to figure out when these moments are happening, like when you are holding a new baby or visiting someone in the hospital.
But, there are moments when those people will be wrong. It might take a while for you to figure out these moments because they can be tricky to detect. I’m talking about the times when people don’t want to hear what you anymore because they disagree. Or maybe they think you aren’t qualified enough to have a voice or they are afraid of change. Or even worse, maybe it’s simply because you are a girl.
Who knows what it will be, but in that moment, I want you to own that voice of yours.
Be proud of it and be confident in how you are using it.
Be heard. Be seen. Shout. March.
Again, life is short, so let’s make a splash instead of a ripple. Why waste time hiding your ambitions when you can ask for the promotion? Why smile politely when you can say ”Hey, that joke wasn’t funny, it’s offensive.” Why settle for watching the race when you can finally do that 5k you've fantasized about?
That voice, the one that you are echoing through halls with the ear shattering pitch of an eagle, is incredibly powerful and I cannot wait to watch you grow up and realize that.
And I can’t wait to see where you choose to use it, and what it will bring.
But for now, you are little girls with no big weights to carry. You are light, free, agile and fiery! You bounce around from one thing to the next, tinkering, learning, and yes, screaming, as little girls do.
Leave us a comment and share with us how you use your voice to make a splash!