Victoria Paul, Miss Louisiana USA 2019, said farewell to her sparkly hat this part weekend. I don’t really know why pageant queens make me so emotional, but here we are anyway. I guess when an organization/ passion plays such a big role in a person’s development, we never really leave that behind. During the weekend, I had more pageant-rooted conversations than I’d had in years, and somehow, Victoria summed up all the fears, disappointments, thoughts, conversations, and ideas that I wasn’t quite sure how to form.
The crown is goal, a platform, and a dream for hundreds of girls and women. It’s a worthy goal— one totally worth chasing passionately. It has the power to grow you and develop you as a human in a way that is unique, different from so many other “hobbies”. But it isn’t magic. It won’t give you purpose or meaning. I’m not trying to be a Debbie-Downer, but the sparkly hat only has the power to amplify a superpower you already have: Your Voice.
Your words drive your actions, like a rudder to a ship. They have the power to give life or to take it away. Build or tear down. You’ve got a lot of responsibility with that superpower, friend. Use it wisely, but be sure to use it.
Speak up for what you believe in. Say encouraging things when you think them, apologize when you’re wrong, and know when to stay silent if your voice will cause damage.
Whether or not a crown is your goal, your voice is a SUPER power. Whether or not your name is called into the Top 15, you have a special something to say that is SO worth hearing. So whatever you’re facing: mountain, molehill, or valley, “success” or disappointment, feel empowered. Continue to use your superpower.
Your story is unique. There are others who need to hear what you have to share. Don’t feel small and silenced, but understand that we all have a built in superpower: our voice.