I recently mentioned a center two-page graphic in an outstanding book, Orbiting the Giant Hairball. I think we have three choices in life. We can either try to stifle, control, augment, change, tweak the voice of another person. Or we can ignore that voice. Or we can find the biggest damn megaphone that we can and stand on a box and raise it up before them and encourage that person to shout to the heavens. Here's the graphic. I've typed out the words in it...  In the very beginning, if you think way back... He was always amazed and had time just to gaze
His arms were like wings and he moved like the wind
The door to his heart was flung open wide - you could see straight inside
His soul shone like gold and could never be sold
Even his toes rarely touched the ground... Now he moved his gaze down... his arms tumbled down
He spent much of his day to make sure that his heart didn't fly off off and play
The door was ajar, but not very far
His soul winced and shrunk
And every so often a tear would go plop He emptied his thoughts He hid his feet in some shoes Sometimes his heart would cry out quite loud [silence]  There once was a day
Then came the day someone casually said...
Your feet should be planted on the ground
So he did, as you can see
Then one day someone laughed at him as he sung to the trees
And so he promised himself never again would he sing to the trees (or the leaves)
But still they laughed on
At most everything he did
So he thought to himself I must be more like them
So he watched and he thought what to think what to not
Walk like I walk
Talk like I talk
Don't piddle
Work hard
Don't be late
Don't sigh
Don't cry
Look 'em smack in the eye
Stand up straight
Don't do this
Don't do that [the end] I ask: How do you encourage those around you to find their voice and to dare speak it with gusto? | 
