“You truly don’t know how valuable something is until it’s gone.” This well-known axiom has taken on a new meaning over the last week as I’ve struggled with laryngitis. Now bear with me if the following sounds a bit melodramatic, because I am going somewhere with this! At one point, my voice was completely gone and left me with only a breathy whisper, then days later improved to a mouse-like squeak and a blurted bark sound with every third word I attempted to mutter. If you’ve ever lost your voice you know the feeling. You possibly even understand the frustration. The need to speak, compounded with knowing I couldn’t, was inconvenient, uncanny, unproductive and, to be honest, during certain circumstances, evoked unexpected feelings of insecurity within me. However, this annoying interruption gave me pause to reflect on the true privilege it is to have a voice.
My reflections over the last week haven’t necessarily centered around “voice” in the literal sense, although the ability to utter words is a true gift that shouldn’t be taken for granted. It allows us to make meaningful connections, give important instructions, articulate a viewpoint or cheer on our favorite team. It enables us to give a deserved compliment, read bedtime stories to our children, seek feedback, negotiate an important business deal, or say “I love you” to one you hold dear. You can engage in debate, offer up solicited advice, worship your Creator or teach someone a new skill. One’s voice, in the literal sense, often holds the key to fulfilling our needs and desires.
The “voice” I thought about most is the deep-seeded part of one’s soul that empowers an individual to realize that he or she has value in this world. The voice recognizes that you have a seat at the table, a space in the conversation, or a say in the decision. Your voice is your unique identity, your values, worldview, and your personal brand. It has an opinion, a personality and a position. It has passion, restraint, strength and empathy. Many have not yet discovered their voice or they have chosen not to use it. Others’ voices have sadly been marginalized, excluded or dismissed altogether. However, to have a voice and use it for good (or even for bad) is the single most powerful tool we have been given.
At this point in my life, I feel like each day I become more and more aligned with my own voice, however, in reflection, there was a transformational moment when I realized I had a voice and furthermore, that I could use it to impact change in my community. Although I didn’t realize it until several years ago, this moment occurred when I was just a teenager. I found myself in front of the Conover City Council requesting that a City Ordinance be amended in order to conduct my Girl Scout Gold Award Project. After deliberation, the council voted in favor of the amendment, which still stands to this day. I remember leaving the meeting with a sense of pride and accomplishment, having pushed through nerves to use my voice to influence change. Little did I know, that moment was preparing me for the work that I do today. It served as the flint that created the spark of empowerment to use for good the powerful tool I have been given- my voice.
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