A friend slipped this note into a CD for me on Saturday night.

Yelling doesn’t have to be literal. It doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to be shrill. It doesn’t have to insult, to shame, to guilt, or to hurt. When these become the aim of speaking, the word becomes poison.

The written word can shout. Survival itself is a scream against the unthinkable. Speaking the truths no one wants to hear is an unapologetic shattering of the status quo.

Even at a whisper, there’s nothing quiet about living life full-volume.

So, this week, even if all signs are pointing to shut up - don’t. Ever.