Breaking Silence, Finding Support

My aunt called me selfish for finally telling everyone why I flinch when people raise their

voices. I shared how my dad used to scream during my childhood, thinking after twenty

years it was safe to be honest. Within minutes, half the family turned on me for

ruining his reputation. My cousins accused me of attention seeking. My grandmother left

in tears. But here's the twist. Three relatives pulled me aside later that night.

They thanked me. Turns out they experienced the same thing but stayed silent their whole lives.

My uncle even apologized for enabling it back then. Sometimes the truth doesn't bring the

validation you expect from everyone. But it gives permission to the people who needed to hear they