Being silent about significant issues has always been the wisest course of action for me as a child, teenager, and even as a young adult, but I was never able to articulate why. Sometimes, it seemed like the finest path. You are given room to reflect, process emotions and even to regain equilibrium.

Sometime, we struggle to find the appropriate words to speak, to express what we are truly feeling. We get pretty angry at times. Silence might be interpreted as a sort of manipulation or control during those enraged moments. Nobody likes receiving the silent treatment, which is also known as stonewalling in the therapy community and is considered poisonous. Most often, folks who encounter a stone wall believe they have no choice, but to remain silent.

There may be circumstances in life where you decide to be silent because you recognise that neither what you say, nor what you do, would help the issue. Power may or may not be advantageous, particularly when it doesn’t seem like there is much potential for change.

Perhaps it is the strength of stillness; perhaps it makes room for change. Depending on who is speaking and who is being heard, silence can either strengthen or undermine one’s sense of self-worth.

Now, the times have changed and I’m trying to believe that circumstances must worsen before they can improve, therefore talking can occasionally make circumstances worse. I can see why I believed in waiting for the dust to settle, but now I also believe that talking things out can be beneficial. It’s important to stand up for what you believe in, even if it’s just yourself. When you want to change something, you must talk about it.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” — Martin Luther King Jr. quoted

Your life truly stops progressing the moment you stop believing in change. Hence, saying the right words at the right time is necessary, otherwise they will take your silence for granted and interpret it whichever way they want to.

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 25th, 2023