#12 - Expression
With great power comes great responsibility, indeed. I often wonder why I can’t say aloud certain things that ring true to me. For instance, why am I not allowed to point out the hypocrisy of fellow Hindus who complain of being victimized and misunderstood yet would look down on Muslims in an instant? Or, why can’t I reach across the aisle with my Pakistani friends as we all go through similar experiences and struggles in the US? I always need to be careful when speaking up, because people within my own community apparently observe me from afar like a flock of crows. Just waiting to see when I’ll take a fatal plunge, so that they can then all swoop down and peck and tear at my flesh upon my (social) demise. I have a right to speak my mind. I know this. But I would also hate to see my way of expression drag my family’s reputation through the mud. Until I can come to terms with it, I’ll need to carry on with this dangerous balancing act...