Some people can be rude, disrespectful and cruel. I call these people what they are: bullies. Bullies want power over your thoughts, self-esteem and confidence. They want you to be silent, and they want you to believe you are less than what you really are.
Bullies can't win if you speak up. Bullies can't win if you have hope.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
-Emily Dickinson
I've always had a fascination with birds. I love listening to their songs, watching their flights and observing their movements. How nice it must be to have wings and to fly away from the situation you're dealing with. To my delight, the white pelicans arrived in south Louisiana this week. The massive birds soar in with flocks of thousands of their kin. White pelicans migrate south for warmer winters and more food options. Birds migrate for more ideal conditions. Instead of adapting to their situation, birds fly to more opportune locations.
Why don't humans do what birds do? Why do we surround ourselves by bullies who drag us down, who chip away at our self-worth? Why do we let others determine what we think about ourselves? Why don't we fly away from bullies?
Maybe sometimes we can't fly away from the bullies because they come in form of bosses who control our paycheck, or professors who control our grades, or powerful community members who can control our reputation. For people who battle anxiety, bullies can be especially difficult to deal with. It can be excruciating for anxious people to stand up and to speak out to bullies. However, this is the only way we can maintain our hope, because even though some birds don't migrate, and even though they stay put in the cold, they still make music for all the world to hear.
If you can't fly, you can still sing.
Sing about your blessings. Sing about your sorrows. Sing about your hope. Never stop singing.
Thinking about whatever is just,
Danielle
Tweet
