I Beat Silence. Rejection Can’t Win.

 I Beat Silence. Rejection Can’t Win.

For some, silence feels like peace. For me, it was once a wall. It was a barrier that kept me from laughter, music, and conversation.

 Breaking that was was the hardest opponent I have ever faced. Through surgery, therapy, and endless practice, I fought for every sound, every word, every piece of communication. Slowly, I won, I found my voice.

But here's the strange part. Even after all that, I still hesitate to speak. Take a simple dinner with friends. The cafe is noisy, everyone is talking at once, and my cochlear implant is doing its best to keep up. I smiled and nod, trying to join in, but it feels like chasing words in a storm.

Then someone says, "You're so quiet today", They don't mean to hurt me, but it stings. My silence in that moment is mistaken for disinterest. Inside, I want to scream: "Do you know how hard I've worked just to be part of this conversation?" 

That's when I catch myself shrinking back. Not because I can't speak, but because I'm scared of rejection. Scared of a careless comment or a missed joke.

 

 But then I stop and think. I already faced the hardest opponent of my life: silence. I already proved I could climb that mountain. So why should a simple misunderstanding silence me again?

Rejections hurt. Misunderstandings hurt. But they are not stronger than what I have already overcome. They are just background noise.  

If silence couldn't stop me, rejection won't either. I know my "Yes" is out there, and when it comes, it will be worth every single "No" I have faced along the way.



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