The title of this post are the words of King George VI as told in the movie "The King's Speech." It's a wonderful movie and one I highly recommend, especially to communications professionals.
It's easy to forget that communications does not come naturally to everyone. When we live and breath it as part of our daily work, we an easily take it for granted. In this movie, Colin Firth had me sitting forward, gripping the arms of my theatre seat and almost gasping for air as he struggled, in his portrayal of King George VI, to utter a few simple phrases. The affliction was worse depending on who and how many people he was addressing.
It's heart wrenching to realize how many people really struggle, every day of their lives, to have their voice heard. A voice can mean a lot of different things too - it can mean the straightforward act of speaking, or it an mean the plight of a minority group trying to be heard by the masses. It can be a child who doesn't get attention or love, despite all the toys and clothes heaped on it. A voice can be a stand against abuse or neglect. We all have a voice - but are we able to make it heard?
The movie "The King's Speech" touched me on so many levels, certainly as a communicator who helps others get their voice heard, but also as the daughter and friend of women who have died of cancer, and as the witness of bullying in the workplace. It touched me as the ex-wife of an alcoholic, and as the aunt of a beautiful, intelligent teenager.
Because I have a voice, I share my knowledge and experience here on this blog, and in my work and personal life. I encourage you to let your voice be heard too.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Thanks for the insightful post Radean, or should I say, "Th-th-thanks."
ReplyDeleteAs a stutterer, I certainly understand and appreciate that people often take their fluency for granted. It's great that The King's Speech has illuminated this particular disability and created opportunities for fluent folks to reflect on how vital the voice is to interpersonal communication.
I'm also a professional writer, so the daily struggle between the spoken word and the written word plays out in my work. Nonetheless, my achievements, like the King's, have been gained in spite of any handicap.
Regards,
Bernie Kruchak