Say That To My Face
"Say that to my face"
When you hear those words being spoken at you, what is your instinct or reaction? Do you turn to face the questioner? Do you turn away? Do you repeat yourself quieter? Or do you make sustained eye contact and repeat yourself, once more with force? Your reaction could defuse or ignite. It could disarm or delight. It could be the right thing at the right time or it could set off a chain of reactions spiralling out of our control. So what are you going to do?
In the North End of Winnipeg, "say that to my face" is more than a phrase, it's an attitude. It's a perspective, a challenge and a commitment. It means if I care about you, you will know it because I will tell you - directly to your face. It means if I don't care for you, you will know it because you won't see my face and should we come across each other, I will say it to your face. It underscores a commitment to directness. Part confrontation but fully honest, this phrase encompasses the way we live and the way we love. It encompasses the way we problem solve, airing our grievances directly to the person instead of complaining to others. It invites conflict but also invites solutions. I don't expect it to make sense to people if you've never lived here, if you've never loved here.
"Say that to my face"
With such a high Indigenous population in the North End, you can hear phrases here that are common on First Nation reserves or in Metis communities. They find a new life and identity here. "Mlaah". "Ever sick". "Not even". And too many other grunts, sighs and sounds to list here, the phrases we use to express ourselves in moments of passion reflect who we are. They are combinations of where we come from and are influenced by the concrete jungle we grow from today.
"Say that to my face"
If you love me, let me know. Life's too short and our challenges are too many. Tell them to their face if you think their stories are hilarious or their presence makes your life a little brighter. It's hard to pay compliments to people and sometimes it's hard to recieve them, but the commitment to honesty applies to our challenges as well as our affections. It applies to giving love as well as receiving it. If you love someone, you better tell them while they're still here because tomorrow's never promised. We've lost too many too soon to not take every opportunity for joy, for sharing and for caring.
"Say that to my face"
If you don't love me that's ok too. We can be direct and we will be honest. We can dislike each other and co exist. You do your thing and I will do mine. As a neighbourhood, we do need to get better at solving our problems with each other peacefully but I can't help but believe we have the seeds planted for the solution that we need. Of course we are not gonna like everyone, but if you got something to say about me, make sure you...
"Say that to my face"
And say it clearly too. It is more important in the happy times than any other moment. It's more important when we feel the joy and love and we can help the laughter fill the air. We tell the ones we love and care for and appreciate how much they mean to us. Texts are awesome, social media posts are nice too. But if we really want to express our gratitude, in the most North End way, we must gather up all of our courage, look into your heart, find the words and ...
"Say that to my face”
