When I choose to speak
I’ve learned to move through this world
at a pace that feels honest to me—
not slow, not fast, just real.
People mean well, I know.
They offer paths, perspectives,
suggestions shaped by their own lived truths.
Sometimes I listen closely, sometimes I don’t.
But I’ve come to understand
that I’m allowed to choose when I open the door.
Not out of stubbornness,
but because not everything fits
the shape of my life.
Engaging isn’t something I’ve subscribed to,
it’s something I offer…
and only when it’s right.
My silence isn’t avoidance,
it’s trust in myself, a space I keep clear
so I can hear what matters.
And if I do step in,
if I join the conversation,
take the advice, follow the lead,
it will be because something inside said yes,
not because I felt I had to…
not because I was expected to.
That choice, that freedom,
is how I stay sincere, valid,
and true to myself.
Copyright © Mark Massey | Year Posted 2025
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