“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”
-Coco Chanel
A voice is a powerful entity. It transports the wonderful imaginings of the human intellect out of the ethereal realm of dreams, into the world of possible reality. Indeed, it has the power to create, to bring forth that which has not existed before! According to Merriam Webster, a voice can be defined as –
“The faculty of utterance. An instrument or medium of expression. A wish, choice, or opinion openly or formally expressed.”
Every idea that has given birth to a philosophy, a practice, a palpable reality…. Every belief, activity, and physical expression of ingenuity that we experience in our world…. Each of them was born through a voice — before they were expressed, they were nothing more than wishful thinking.
A powerful illustration of the creative power of a voice is found in the Bible — the most widely read book in the world. According to this book, all things came into existence through the power of a voice — the voice of God. Regardless of our beliefs, we must agree that this illustration renders insurmountable generative power to the voice.
Oh, the feats a voice can accomplish! It can reshape reality! It can take an idea — whether beautiful or terrible — and set the world on fire with it! A voice can proclaim truth or spread lies. It can bring us freedom or enslave us. A voice can fight for peace or ignite war. It is the engine that powers all change! In the words of the author Dianna Hardy –
“It only takes one voice, at the right pitch, to start an avalanche.”
Our voice is our birthright — we humans are born with the capacity to conceive an idea, express it, and act upon it. We boast the wondrous ability to make dreams come true. What a privilege it is to have a voice! We must not squander this gift, but use it for the benefit of the world around us. Our voice can make a difference, it can be an agent of hope, progress, and improvement.
We live in a world where so many are frightened into silence. We must keep in mind that our silence is just as powerful as our voice! If we remain silent, when we are called to speak up, our silence will destroy that which our voice yearns to protect. As the English philosopher, John Stuart Mill proposed –
“Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do not harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.”
Let us use our voice with courage and boldness! When our voice challenges injustice, it becomes an instrument of deliverance in a suffering world. Civil rights leader — Martin Luther King, Jr. said –
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”
Before technology changed our way of life, people used to gather in public places to listen to each other’s voices in an open forum. This platform provided the opportunity for people to interact with each other, as well as with the most prominent ideas within their community and state. Oh, how the world has changed! Today, we have the ability to read, listen, and watch what other voices are saying — not only in our own community — but all over the world! Thanks to the technological advances of our time, we can access information and interact with people from all over the globe, simply by looking at our phone! I fear that since it so easy to use our voice from an isolated setting — our living room — we often lose perspective of the great impact our voice can have. Let’s remember that our voice has the power to influence the actions of others, and let’s use it thoughtfully. Theologian and philosopher — Abraham Joshua Herschel said –
“Speech has power. Words do not fade. What starts out as a sound, ends in a deed.”
When our voices unite, their power multiplies. Joining together for the sake of a cause, gives us the fortitude to reach further, endure longer, and accomplish so much more. There is an old maxim — “Vox populi, vox Dei” — which Merriam Webster defines as:
“The voice of the people is the voice of God.” Many people think that expression means that the people are always right, but it really implies that the will of the masses — right or wrong — is often irresistible.”
When many voices speak with one accord, there is no corner of the world it won’t reach. When my voice becomes our voice, it is like a tsunami, crashing on the shore, sweeping away everything in its path! Such is the inexorable power of our united voice! Therefore, let us use understanding, wisdom, and great care, as we appraise the ways in which we use our voices. In the words of best-selling author, Felicia Johnson –
“Speak up and speak clearly. I want to hear what you have to say because it matters. Let’s listen to each other and respect one another’s opinions.”
¿Tú qué piensas?
