With Great Power.....

Many among you falsely believe that you have no power. We assure you that this is not true. You are just not aware of what real power looks like.

You grow up watching bullies on the playground. They walk in packs, preying on the small, weak and vulnerable. They yell, make threats and hit when they do not get what they want. They appear powerful to the smaller children, but that power is illusion. They wear a mask of intimidation to cover their fear.

There are those among you who hold positions of authority over others at work. You will often find among these, the same playground bullies. They yell at those they are supposed to be leading, humiliate them for mistakes and sabotage their work, so that the cycle can continue.

On your roadways, their are those who fight for a few extra yards. They honk their horns, yell out the window and tailgate at dangerous speeds.

In arguments, there are those who make their point, then laugh at those who disagree, even calling them names, as though, the very idea of disagreeing with them makes them intellectually inferior.

All of these. To the untrained eye, look like power, but they are an illusion. The boss is insecure about his own ability to work and manage. The driver would not be so tough, when not surrounded by tons of metal and anonymous. The name callers do not have a strong argument so they yell, and insult others to create the illusion of intellectual superiority.

Real power is quiet. It looks like the well trained security guard sitting quietly in the corner of the store. He acts only when there is danger, uses only enough force to get the situation under control, then returns to his quiet spot by the door. He knows how to do his job, and has confidence in his abilities. He shows his power when needed, but does not boast about it. If customers make fun of him, he is unaffected as he knows the truth.

Real power comes from knowing yourself, appreciating you special gifts and talents, and using them appropriately to help and empower others rather than take advantage of them.

No person on this planet is powerless. All of you have enough power to use wisely or abuse.
So be responsible, be kind, and keep your cape tucked in until you need it. ~Silas

Jinnzania's side notes: I grew up in a world where women were powerless. The cartoons and movies I watched reinforced this. I wanted to be the helpless heroine, waiting to be rescued by a handsome prince, as that was pinnacle of womanhood: being rescued by the most powerful man in the land, marrying him and having powerful boy babies and helpless but beautiful girl babies.

After decades of promoting this stereotype, my pals at Disney, presented, Mulan. She couldn't quite manage to make a proper cup of tea, so using her intellect and ingenuity, she chose to save China instead. In the end, she became the leader of the men she once fought with, and won the respect of her father and family. Not by fear or intimidation, but using her gifts and talents and working with and empowering those around her.

I'll have what she's having, although I wouldn't mind a tasteful tiara and a fashionable cape.