There's a parable I love with a message intended to emphasize the complexity and multifaceted nature of God. It goes like this:
"There's a group of blind men who have never come across an elephant before and learn to conceptualize what the elephant is like by touching it. Each blind man feels a different part of the elephant's body, but only one part, such as the side or the tusk. They then describe the elephant based on their limited experience and their descriptions of the elephant are different from each other. In some versions, they come to suspect that the other person is dishonest, increasing tension and disconnection amongst each other."
If you believe, like I do, that we are each individual reflections of God, then our truths (the beliefs and values that feel most authentic to us based on our perspective and experiences of life) are representations of a larger, universal truth. That universal truth collectively represents the entirety of each individual's perspectives, experiences, and wisdom.
Because we each hold a piece of the whole, it's critical that we use our voices to communicate our truths with the world around us, regardless how they differ from others'. The more you understand yourselfand other peopleas part of the same whole, the more you’ll...
1. open yourself to the knowledge that others have to offer, and
2. learn to value your voice and the wisdom you are responsible for communicating
By trying to speak for everyone, you'll block yourself from receiving various perspectives that will likely help you grow.AND, by quieting your voice you'll withhold your unique insight from others who may need to hear what you have to share.
You can have a fire in your throat and still be compassionate. You can disagree with the people close to you—even over controversial and heated topics—and still love them. You can be afraid of experiencing judgment and still speak confidently about what rattles your soul.
If you need to begin by writing privately what you believe + what you would say if you knew no one would read it, then do. Start somewhere, but don’t stop there.
You have a significant + purposeful voice that has the potential to connect others more deeply to the larger truth. Someone needs to hear what you have to say, especially yourself.
Comments