Be a voice, not an echo. -Albert Einstein

Every day you have a chance to make a difference. Whether the impact is positive or negative is up to you. Your voice, your actions, will make a difference. It could be for a short moment in time or it could be heard for centuries to come. So, what is your voice going to impact?

Firstly, I need to make it clear, I am not a writer. Ask any of my English teachers throughout the years. I am most likely the last person anyone would expect to have a blog or write weekly articles for the Odyssey. As you are sitting there reading this wondering "why in the world is she discrediting herself?" You have already missed my purpose for writing.

My purpose - I have a voice. I'm not the only one that does. You do. Your parents. Your friends. Even that person you dislike with every inch of your being. They have a voice. Would you discredit their voice? Oh, I surely hope not! Their voice is just as important as yours. Pay attention - I did not type that yours was more important. Your voice is as important as the President's, the jury's, the plumber's, and the mute's.

Voice: "the sound produced in a person's larynx and uttered through the mouth"

A voice is something larger than what is defined in the dictionary. By those standards, someone without the physical capabilities to speak would be deemed not to have a voice. Stop. Wrong. Everyone has a voice. When you speak, action, and do nothing at all - you are voicing your choice - you are impacting the world around you.

Look back to the quote above, 'not an echo,' take a moment and think about that. -insert moment of thought- Are you echoing the voices you hear around you? Are you just jumping onto another bandwagon? I am not ruling out hearing someone else's voice then judging by your beliefs whether or not to adopt their thought and create a voice of your own on a specific topic; this is completely acceptable - if you make it your own. Do not just live life by other's voices. Think for yourself. Own your voice.

I would advise you to make every intention to make your voice a ray of hope, to promote honesty, to display joy, and to share love to every single individual that has a voice. Do not belittle a person because you have a different voice. Have you already forgotten that your voice will make a difference? Is your voice positive or negative?

I will write to let my voice be heard. I will strive to make a positive impact to better the world that we live in. I will not be another echo.