Hi everybody.
This week we are exploring power of the voice. The voice is a powerful tool only when we use it. Some cultures suggest keeping quiet as a sign of politeness, respect and good behavior.
But what’s the point of having a voice when we don’t use it. The voice is only important when we us it.
There is a time to be quiet and a time to speak, to sing, write and explore.
Speak
Say it to anybody who cares to listen and say it loud.
Use your voice.
There are different ways of using our voices, we speak, sing, write and vote amongst others.
Babies cry when they are hungry, uncomfortable and needing attention. The same applies to individuals with communication challenges like dementia, Alzheimer’s and other conditions, they tend to behave in certain ways to show that they are uncomfortable and telling us something is the matter.
People who lived before us, hundreds of years ago left messages on rocks and caves in the form of paintings.
Remember the atrocities in Chechnya and Bosnia, somebody somewhere spoke about this and such atrocities were made known to everybody who cared to listen. The Me too movement and Black lives matter are current examples.
We report abuse, injustices and so on, and the courts are there to find people guilty or innocent.
Letters to curb loneliness
If there’s anything that the last few years and decade has shown us is loneliness amongst people and in our communities. Some are lonely because their partners, spouses and family members have died. Others is because of old age, where they find themselves alone when most friends have passed, children moved on to different parts of the country and the world.
There are some things that we can’t do on our own where we need a bit of help.
We have a lot of our elderly folks in nursing and residential homes and I’m sure would love to receive a letter. Young people sharing their experiences with the elderly and vice versa.
Let us get back to writing letters. Prisoners enjoy receiving letters in jails it helps in their rehabilitation.
When there’s nobody about and you feel alone, its nice to receive a letter. This is why vulnerable people are easily scammed because they don’t have real people to talk to, or write to. So anybody who appears friendly, well spoken and understanding can easily wove themselves around them.
Recount your stories, experiences and history with others. No matter what is coming at you there’s always something good in your life to share. Maybe its how you overcame adversity. You’ve beaten cancer, talk about it.
- Talking and sharing stories encourages us to dig our roots deep even when life is complicated and difficult.
Others help us remember that there are moments when life has been good to us. We may be lonely, feel abandoned and down cast but we get some joy when we interact and hear each others stories.
With a bit of organisation and method, letter writing can prove a useful tool in combating loneliness.
Let us remember, its not everyone that understands the internet, emails and so on or has access to such technology.
Some grew up writing to people in different parts of the world. Schools organized all that, pen pals.
We write about:
- emotions
- pain
- intimacy
- events
Some people find it difficult to talk about things but easier to write about them. Writing can help us in our relationships.
Writing letters is making an effort and finding a convenient time to do so. We also find the right words like ‘so good to hear from you‘, ‘much love‘ and so on.
Words can be soothing no matter how far away we are from each other.
My mother, old school, kept all the important documents, birth certificates, school certificates, old paid bills, old letters in different boxes some under the bed and another box on top of the wardrobe. Although our elderly folks can adapt to change, internet, face time and so on, its just nice telling someone that there is a letter for them on the table.
Let’s start writing.
Find your purpose
Let us continue to find our purpose in life. We can all serve others wherever we are. We all have a purpose and all the pieces joined together make us whole.
Doctors and surgeons treat and change lives. Some offer their services for charity.
Let’s engage with each other.
Engaging helps us cope, friends helps us cope.
We all have different coping mechanisms, some of us reach for doughnuts and chocolate, over eat and so on.
But our gift of life is how we touch others, touching so many different lives and instilling good things in others.
Let’s speak to each other and say its okay look at what I’ve been through, inspire others.
If you are a believer pray together, and knowing that somebody somewhere is praying for you and with you will give you momentum to carry on.
Know who you are and remember where you’re coming from. It may take a while to get on your feet but you’ll get there in the end.