A Voice for The Foreigner

Every twenty-four hours we are given the blessing of a new day. We possess fresh eyes, a clean mind, recharged legs, a quick tongue, and supple hands ready to seize the day. Your failures, mistakes, and short comings from the day before do not exist in the present day.

Breathe this crisp new air. This air has never existed until today. It is newborn energy ready to invigorate your every muscle, bone, tendon, and cell with jolts of purpose. Feel the oxygen particles sweep into your nostrils and trickle into your lungs.

Start slowly. Take five seconds to inhale. When you reach five, stop inhaling and hold your breath for three seconds. Finally, exhale. Let’s repeat this step twice more.

Inhale.

Hold for three.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Hold for three.

Exhale.

Now slowly reach for your favorite pair of shoes. Take a moment to hold this overlooked apparel in your hands. Notice the strings that lace the upper body. Feel the fabric of the soul rub under your fingertips. These two, rather insignificant articles are what allow you to explore the world outside your home. They carry you over grass, dirt, concrete, rocks, cement, sand, happiness, tribulations, and everything in between. These shoes are going to carry you into the intimidating, yet exciting world outside. They are going to introduce you to people and situations that will teach you new skills, languages, experiences, and will ultimately develop you as a person. Thank them for carrying your body through this life.

Slip them on and walk out to your day.

Remember: today has never existed in history.

It is yours.

Feel the weight of your body pressing inside the walls of your shoes. Focus on your balance as you stroll on the sidewalk. The left side of the body and the right side of the body equally share the joy of movement. You would get nowhere if you only allowed your right foot to do the walking. You would get nowhere if you only let your right food do the walking. The left is your ying and the right is your yang.

As you’re walking along the streets ignore the loud sounds of machinery grappling for your attention. Shut out the cars. Shut out the pings of cellphones. They are only white noise distracting you from your main purpose of this meditation: discovering the courage to speak. Look at all of the beautiful strangers. Listen to the foreign words darting from their mouths and slipping through your ears. Try to dissect each sound. Do not try to translate. Only try to dissect. Where does one word end and another word begin? Where is the accent? Notice the inflections. Diagram all of these words and start putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

While your ears are rapidly trying to diagram this foreign jargon under the masks, use your eyes to translate the context. Ears and tongues are not the only parts of the body that learn a language. Your fresh, well-rested eyes must read the body language of every speaker. Do not be afraid to look these strangers in the eyes. What are their glistening globes telling you? Is it pain? Anger? Happiness? Inquisition? To what are their hands gesturing? Are they pointing to the cars? Are they referencing their coffee? Absorb the message of their body language in order to interpret context.

The most important thing to remember during this meditation is to not be overwhelmed.

Today is yours.

You are talented enough to unmuffle these sounds under the masks.

You are sharp enough to translate these sounds into words.

You are knowledgeable enough to create words of your own.

You have a voice.

You deserve to be heard.

Repeat that again.

You have a voice and you deserve to be heard.

Today, when the stranger approaches you to ask a question, do not let fear seize control of your body. Unclench the muscles entangling your chest.

Take a deep breath.

Inhale.

Hold for three.

Exhale.

Feel the air sweep into your nostrils and trickle into your lungs.

Balance your body on the raft of your sturdy shoes.

Feel your tongue lying dormant in your mouth. Awaken it. Feel it glide over your teeth and tap the roof of your mouth. Tongues have caused wars and they have sown peace. They have destroyed lives and they have built relationships. They have cowered in the shadows and they have rallied behind the call of justice.

Your tongue is your most prized muscle.

Never be embarrassed to use it.

Be kind to yourself.

You are not perfect.

Your knowledge of your native tongue is not perfect.

Your knowledge of this foreign tongue is not perfect.

No one is perfect.

You deserve to be heard.

Today is your day. Tell the world that it is your day.

Speak.