What to say when you don't know what to say

It's been a tough few weeks for me on the messaging front. It seems I just can't say the right thing without hurting someone (unintentionally, of course).

This stems from a couple of conversations online from women I admire who allowed real harm to come to Women of Color (WOC) in their community. It has been a painful learning experience for me, shameful really, and one I am resistant to diving into deeper because it adds to the heaviness I am already feeling. The irony is, this reluctance (or privilege of being able to stay quiet) also piles on to the damage already incurred. 

I need to speak out but I don't know what to say. 

I need to say something but I don't know how I feel.

I need to feel something but I don't know where to begin in the unpacking of generations of white supremacy and white privilege.

All I know to do is reach back into what I know is real for me. And that is...

We are all connected. We are all one. Everyone has a voice, a story, a desire to be heard. Your voice matters. Your story matters. You matter. We all have a purpose and yours is to speak up, create ripples, and spark a revolution.

We are all connected. We are all one.

Your pain is my pain. Your oppression is my oppression. Your tears are my tears.

Everyone has a voice, a story, a desire to be heard.

It is my duty to listen and to believe you when you tell me how you feel and what you experience. 

Your voice matters. Your story matters. You matter.

What you have to say is what the world needs to hear - right now. Things will never get better if the ugly truth stays in the shadows. No amount of spiritual bypassing will ever make our shameful past go away. You can't "love and light" this shit out of existence nor can you LOA it out of the DNA of our sister of color.

You matter. We all have a purpose and yours is to speak up, create ripples, and spark a revolution.

Every single one of us has a story to tell and a reason to tell it.

Your words have power.
Your stories have weight.
Your voice has meaning and lights the way to new future.

Never underestimate the strength and influence you have to change the world. 

If you truly understood that, you would always know what to say, even if it may not be what you want to admit.

So when you don't know what to say, say it anyway.