April 28, 2011

Day of Silence Student Voices: Meghann G.

>Meghann G. participated in the National Day of Silence on Friday, April 15, and throughout the day was teased by her peers who made gay jokes at her. Meghann retreated to the counselors’ office and began to write. Below is an excerpt of what she wrote on that day, cross posted with permission from her blog, Dancing in God’s Wonderland.

How do you tell someone how you feel without speaking and without writing an essay? How do you defend yourself without words?

The meaning of Day of Silence is so much more powerful when experiencing it, hearing about it doesn’t compare. The feeling of isolation puts you in a daze, where you forget about the “importance” of every day conversations. The lack of talking even dries out your throat and when you do speak again your voice cracks on the choked out words.

Day of Silence isn’t just a protest against bullying or something to bring attention to others, but it’s to bring a more intense, tangible, awareness to the participants. I tell people it’s not as hard as it sounds, just to get them to do it, but in all reality it is hard and stressful and saddening to an extent; however it is also enlightening and eye-opening and incredibly, absolutely powerful. Anyone who has participated the whole day would know. It’s inspirational.

As human beings we all want to fit in one way or another. No one wants to be isolated or alone or abandoned—no one. So Lord, help me be strong as I venture back into this battle field, because this does not end on the Day of Silence. This is reality for so many people.

   

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