Christmas Present

From "Speak Now" dialogue

'Speak now or forever hold your peace,the words said by

preachers at the end of wedding ceremonies all over the world,right

before the vows.It's a last chance for protest,a moment that makes

everyone's heart race,and a moment I've always been strangely fascinated by.

So many fantasize about bursting into a church,saying what they'd kept inside

for years like in the movies.In real life,it rarely happens.

Real life is a funny thing,you know.In real life,saying the right thing at the right

moment is beyond crucial.So crucial,in fact,that most of us start to hesitate,

for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.But lately what I've begun

to fear more than that is letting the moment pass without saying anything.

I think most of us fear reaching the end of our life,and looking back regretting

the moments we didn't speak up.When we should've said 'I'm sorry.' When we didn't

stand up for ourselves or someone who needed help.

These songs are made up of words I didn't say when the moment was right in front

of me.These songs are open letters.Each is written with a specific person in mind,telling

them what I meant to tell them in person.To the boy whose heart I broke in December.To my band.To someone I forgive for what he said in front of the whole world.

Words can break someone into a million pieces,but they can also put them

back together.I hope you use yours for good,because the only words you'll regret

more than the ones left unsaid are the ones you use to intentionally hurt someone.

What u say might be too much for some people.Maybe it will come out all wrong

and you'll stutter and you'll walk away embarrassed,wincing as you play it

all back in your head.But I think the words you stop yourself from saying are the ones

that will haunt you the longest.

So say it to them.Or said it to yourself in the mirror.Say it in a letter you'll never

send or in a book millions might read someday.I think you deserve to look back on your

life without a chorus of resounding voices saying 'I could've,but it's too late now.'

There is a time for silence.There is a time waiting your turn.But if you know how

you feel,and you so clearly know what you needed to say,you'll know it.

I don't think you should wait.I think you should speak now.