A Child’s Voice

Inside me exists a silly and strange child.

The boy whose crazy socks and shirts are making a comeback.

Comfortable in his own body and mind.

But he only received attention from his mother when it was time to give him bad haircuts.

Told by his parents he tested two points away from being gifted.

A lie disguised as kindness because they didn’t understand that his intelligence identified him.

So his confidence faded and his voice grew quieter with lack of encouragement.

He became the facilitator of other’s dreams while they made his life a nightmare.

Until one day he broke.

His energy depleted.

Now he needed to filter out their noise.

Pushing their voices further away from his consciousness.

A new necessity for his own survival.

He reflected on his life and choices.

How did he end up in a place he never wanted.

He was always honest about that.

But others were never fully honest with him.

So a voice emerged.

Quiet and distant like coming through a wormhole from the past.

A child’s voice. Funny. Smart. Uncommon.

A voice that begged to come out and play.

To finally be free.

Because for him life never needed to be too serious.

A voice that finds joy in doing good to others while insisting everyday should have an aspect of fun.

A voice that tried to outthink a scattered brain and failed.

A voice that was once pushed aside by others until its owner dismissed it as well.

A voice whose breath was wasted hushing itself instead of stoking its own ember.

It risks going out forever.

No one else will give space for this voice.

So I make the space.

I paint the colors and nuances of that voice into words on a paper or screen.

I write to give that child a place in this world for which no one else held space.

With hopes that it now finds a safe home in the hearts and minds of those who hear this child’s voice through his emancipated words.

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