On Friday July 6, I was biking to BC Cancer Agency from my parked car at Park Royal for my third CT scan after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer two months ago.
I caught up to a couple, also on bikes.
As I approached the man I called out, “hello, hello, passing on your left,” I passed safely. As I approach the woman, and called out the same message, she moved, but she yelled “you should use a bell.”
I yelled back, “Why, I have a voice,” which then got me thinking.
I don’t like bells for my bike, I think that metallic sound says ‘I’m here, get out of my way!’ I think our voice is one of our most powerful tools.
When used in a friendly way it can open the door for communication.
When used for questioning it can lead to learning. When used to advocate it can help right a situation, which is wrong, or at least attempt to improve it.
When used for stating opinions or thoughts it can lead to the sharing of the minds. There is a great book called ‘I’m Right and You’re an Idiot; The toxic state of public discourse and how to clean it up’, by James Horgan at the Squamish Public Library. It covers the “pollution of the public square, where a smog of propaganda, adversarial rhetoric, and polarization is stifling discussion and debate, creating resistance to change and thwarting our ability to solve our collective problems.”
‘Our species greatest survival strategy has always been foresight and the ability to leverage our intelligence to overcome adversity. For too long now this capacity has been threatened by the sorry state of our public discourse.”
I always knew my voice mattered in my nursing career, being able to question and advocate for my patients. But, when it came to politics and helping to create change, I didn’t think my voice could make a difference. I’m older now and I think differently. I think our singular and collective voice needs to be heard.
There is power in numbers.
I feel we all need to be somewhat informed of what is happening politically as the people elected into these positions can have a huge impact on our quality of life, both locally and globally as our world becomes smaller.
Our voice can help shape behaviour and personal growth for both ourselves and others, who may be inspired by what we say, imagine or question.
Turn on a light bulb so to speak!
Speak to your neighbours, strangers on the street or wherever you may be. Support someone you may see or hear is being treated disrespectfully either verbally or physically.
Get involved — be heard.
As in the ‘Me Too’ movement, it is only when we make our voices heard that the behaviour can hopefully stop or at least hopefully prevent the perpetrator from having more victims.
Don’t believe that your silence makes a bully stop. It won’t.
It just allows someone to believe they are able to get away with it. It takes a village to raise a child, and the child lives in all of us. Our voice is important regardless of our age, sex, colour, education, wealth or place of residence.
It is up to us to believe that and to continually learn, get involved and practice impeccable speech. Two important global voices are Avaaz and Change.org. Learn about issues that people and organizations are bringing exposure to all over the world.
Love (Respect) All!
- Caroline Solonenko
Brackendale
