What I Did Not Say

Silence Is A Virtue

June 19, 2025
by Mish'al K. Samman

There’s this myth that silence is cowardice.
That if you don’t speak up, you’re complicit. That honesty ... at all costs ... is the noble path.

But that’s the thing about myths.
They sound clean. They read well on posters.
They don’t always survive the mess of real life.

I once chose not to say something. Not because I was scared.
But because I cared.

It would’ve been easy to justify. “They deserve to know.”
But deep down, I wasn’t protecting a lie. I was protecting them ... from a truth that wouldn’t help, wouldn’t heal, wouldn’t lead to anything except pain.
And maybe that sounds like a cop-out.
But if you’ve ever loved someone more than your need to be right, you understand the weight of that silence.

Hollywood loves its black-and-white morality.
Then it gets “deep” by playing in the grey.
But the real world doesn’t play. It waits. It asks:
What matters more ... the truth, or the outcome?

Some would argue silence is noble. Others say it’s what poisons relationships ... lets resentment fester in the cracks.

Both are right. That’s why we were given the choice.

I don’t believe in silence as a rule.
I believe in silence as a tool.
And sometimes, it’s the kindest thing we have.

Not because it hides the truth.
But because it knows when the truth isn’t ready to serve anyone.

I’ve seen what words can do.
But I’ve also seen what they can’t undo.

And in that moment ... the one I don’t talk about, not even here ...
I made peace with the quiet.
Because sometimes, not saying something is the loudest act of love there is.

About the Author
Mish’al Samman is a writer, performer, and lifelong fanboy who began his career covering comics, film, and fandom culture for Fanboy Planet in the early 2000s. With a voice rooted in sincerity, humor, and cultural observation, his work blends personal storytelling with pop-culture insight. Whether he’s reflecting on the soul of Star Wars or exploring identity through genre, Mish’al brings a grounded, human perspective to every galaxy he writes about.