I like to think of people as flowers. We are a collection of tiny cells, a fusion of genes and history and personality, and one day, our seeds crack open to reveal the beginnings of a stem. This stem, with time, care, and a little bit of innate curiosity, reaches out toward the sun in a quest for warm light. Soon enough, this stem develops its own flower bud and allows the world to feast its eyes on these beautiful petals. Each petal is seemingly handcrafted by an artist -- every color gently painted on, every curve carefully sculpted, portraying a story unique to each individual petal. Each canvas of color makes the flower stand out from the bunch.

From a young age, the differences in these petals are quite clear; children say what they want and do as they please. Our little blossoms aren’t afraid to express themselves verbally; they communicate their feelings and desires to the world without fear of how others may perceive them. Engage any kid in conversation and you’ll probably hear an in-depth tale about their trip to Disney two years ago, or about how they played astronauts in their backyard tree the other day. Odds are, the conversation won’t make much sense, but I guarantee you will leave with a smile caressing your lips. I think that’s where we coined the phrase, “Kids say the darndest things,” because they really do -- but that’s what makes them personable, creative, and individual.

Unfortunately, at some point in our lives, society begins to pluck away our petals -- strip us of our true selves -- until the petals’ vibrant colors settle into a mundane shade of gray. Suddenly, we must be cautious with the words we use; we must hold our tongues in order to avoid offense. Society tells us that there are times and places for certain words to be spoken; one must not simply express their feelings and emotions as they please. If we talk about our hard-earned accomplishments, suddenly we are bragging. If we express feelings of sadness, we are told to bottle it up and pretend it didn’t happen. If we reveal our interest in someone, suddenly we look silly and desperate. If there is a problem and we are angry, we are told we are overreacting. We must censor ourselves because of generations built upon sensitivity.

“Children are better seen, not heard.” Eventually, the child who grinned from ear to ear as he recounted his epic space battle in the backyard learns to speak when spoken to and to carefully form the words that other people want to hear. Humankind, a species that was set apart from the rest as a result of its communicative abilities, is silencing itself. In a country where we are praised for freedom of speech, why is it that its own citizens don’t utilize it? Why do we cut down the prettiest of flowers when they are just beginning to bloom?

This is a call to raise your voice. Your voice is unique; your voice is special; your voice is important. Too often we are afraid to tell people how we really feel or to tell people what we really want. We lie to appease the needs of others, but the fact of the matter is, this just isn’t healthy, for you or for the people that surround you. By refraining from using your voice, you are denying your right as a citizen to speak up. By abstaining from using your voice, you give others a chance to take advantage of you and stomp your beautiful flower into the ground. Closing your mouth is unfair to both yourself and the world -- you aren’t letting yourself shine in the light of your own personality and you are hiding your beauty from the world.

So, go tell that guy or girl in your class that you think they’re cute. If you don’t like something, say so. If you love something, say so. Shout to the heavens about how happy you are that you aced your chemistry final. If someone is upsetting you, tell them—use your voice to move past the bump in the road. Don’t hide how you feel or what you think because someone else told you not to; use your voice because it’s the one thing other people can’t control -- the one thing that makes you, you.

The world needs a whole lot more color. So, speak and let your petals bask in their true colors.