New Voice

I heard voices the other day. They were voices I’d never heard before, and I liked it. It was refreshing. It was exhilarating. It felt…right.

No worries; these weren’t whispering voices in my head. These were the voices of people I’d never met before. They were strangers, but they had something to talk about. Mostly, I listened. When I couldn’t hold it in anymore, I jumped in and became a part of the conversation. I went from observer to participant, and that changed everything.

I recognized: this is where I want to be; this is where I can make a difference.

As it turns out, when you’re in a room filled with strangers, and you choose to use your voice, you’re in a room filled with strangers who are listening to and hearing your voice. They listened because I had something to offer. They listened because I was talking about things they wanted to learn. They listened because I had the courage to speak up and offer a unique perspective. They listened because we were all engaged in a conversation that we wanted to have. Some spoke up more than others, but everyone…and I mean everyone…was present. They listened, they considered, they discussed. Over the course of a brief two hours, we all listened to each other, and, as a result, we all grew together.

I heard a new voice the other day, and the voice was mine. I liked how it sounded. I want more of that.

Give me more cowbell.