My mum will not speak above a low whisper in public because she doesn't want to draw attention to herself.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Speech is a very important aspect of being human. A whisper doesn't cut it.
I write for those women who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because we are taught to respect fear more than ourselves. We've been taught that silence would save us, but it won't.
I'm of the opinion that it's okay to be silent, to not speak if you don't have anything to say.
Mum would have a panic attack if she had to stand up and give a speech around a table.
I was taught by my parents that people who are loud don't have anything to say. I've found if you're suggesting quite big changes, a quiet style may be reassuring.
Most people have to talk so they won't hear.
It was deeply interesting to observe my mother closely and to draw her. During those last months, she wasn't speaking much, if at all, and it was a way for me to be with her. It felt very natural.
I've been trying to keep the private life private. Not being savvy or trained on how to do good interviews like a politician, I thought it was wiser to follow my mother's advice: If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all.
Our mother was so public - we always talked about her. But with her passing, all of a sudden we don't even want to talk about her.
If I tried to shout over my older brother, my mother told me keep quiet. If I tried to shout over my little sister, my father told me to shut up. I found the best way to be heard was to lower my voice and actually speak when I had something to say.