I Refuse to be Silent in a World that Needs to Hear Everyone
The society I grew up in is much different than the one I live in right now.
The society I grew up in had people hidden away to never be seen or heard.
The society I grew up in had labeled, ridiculed everyone and anyone who needed any type of support.
I want to say society has grown a tad from when I grew up many years ago.
I want to say society has started to change and grow so everyone is accepted and included.
I want to say things are better but not perfect and to be honest, they may never be perfect.
There is still plenty of work to be done.
Now the society I live in and know, people are asking for help.
People are demanding support.
People are not staying hidden, they are being seen.
I hope you are one who is being seen before you hit your low.
I hope you are one who is being seen before your storm.
I hope you are one who is being heard today and every day after.
Your strength runs deep and you need to know that.
Your strength is what will get you to tomorrow and every day after.
Your strength might have been hidden at one time.
But now that the world can see it…
Shine my darling. Shine for yourself. Shine for the next person to know.
Know that asking for help doesn’t make you weak, it highlights your deepest strength.
I am not ashamed to share the hard.
I am not ashamed to share my flaws.
We live in a society that stigmatizes mental health so much it denies depression but mourns suicide.
But yet, many still judge the moms who don’t get help.
And continue to judge the moms who need help.
That is the society we live in which is mixed up and messy, with much work still to be done.
A society that makes you believe that a pill makes you weak.
And yet every single person is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
What I carry each and every day is heavy.
What I show is only what everyone can handle.
This life is not glamorous at all.
This life is not always desirable.
We are finally sharing things without a filter.
I will never be silenced again because I found my strength that was buried away for so long.
Those who bullied me for using my voice have never felt what it is like to be silenced in this world.
My voice is worthy of being heard today and every day after.
I refuse to apologize for showing my strength when you see it as weakness.
I refuse to apologize for putting myself first so I’m here for every chapter of this life.
I refuse to be silent in a world that needs to hear everyone.
I am not ashamed to show my strength.
One day you hopefully stop seeing it as weakness.
Written by, Katie Emde
Hey friends, I am Katie Emde. I live in Saskatchewan with my husband and three beautiful kids. My oldest son Avery was diagnosed with severe non verbal autism. Our daughter Natalie is learning so much while we do homeschooling this year. Our youngest son Jackson is only four years old and loves everything dinosaur. When me and my husband were getting Avery diagnosed and all the supports he needed when he was younger. We had found everything to be extremely overwhelming. I started advocating provincially for hundreds of families all over the province. I am on numerous IEP’s with various schools. I have done numerous fundraisers and supported various non profits over the years. I help families navigate everything autism in Saskatchewan. I found my voice when we struggled and now I use my voice for the many. I share our life on Facebook at A Journey With Avery and on Instagram at katieemde.
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