Perhaps I have confused the idea of being diplomatic and deferential to friends and neighbors with being a cowed, fearful, woman who can’t take the push back in the face of conversational discourse. I kept my comments to myself because I didn’t want to start a fire and burn down the neighborhood.  I hate disharmony, chaos, and hard feelings, and chose to be kind to everyone in the face of what might be a terrible future.   I saw this quotation and it really hit me today.  I have exchanged what I believed was being diplomatic and decent for keeping quiet and not expressing my feelings because it might hurt somebody’s feelings.  Well what about my own? They’re not worried about hurting mine.  I have a right to speak my mind, just like everyone else, though I restrict that right to discussing facts instead of reacting to fake news, hate trolls, and memes.  Time to stop my silence right now, because I am not being my true, authentic self if I keep it in the dark.  Wish me luck.  This tape will self destruct in five seconds, or two minutes to midnight. Either way..  what’s the point of having a life if I’m not true to it?