08/05/2026
«Sometimes Life Forces Us To Listen»
After two days without a voice — completely involuntary, thanks to a spring cold — I can finally “speak” again.
Not being able to speak is a new experience … both good and challenging.
It’s easy to become frustrated and discouraged because without our voice, we can’t express ourselves the way we’re used to.
And it challenges our patience to be quiet … to listen more than we speak.
The last time I truly didn’t “speak” was during a retreat in 2005. We were asked to practice silence (so-called mauna) for a day and a half. We had to complete tasks, be part of a group, and interact — without saying a single word.
I remember telling my mother about it. She immediately burst out laughing, looked at me, and said:
“How on earth are you going to stay quiet for a day and a half?”
She spoke from experience, so honestly, I agreed with her.
I loved talking. And at that point in my life, I still hadn’t discovered why we have two ears and only one mouth.
Still, something in me decided I was going to complete it no matter what.
And it became an experience I would never want to be without.
It took me a few more years, however, to fully understand the value of listening. To others — but also to myself.
These two days without a voice reminded me of something important:
Sometimes we need to be “forced” to listen — even when it’s involuntary.
From time to time, we need to be reminded that we always have a choice.
We choose how we respond.
We choose the perspective we take.
And we choose who we want to be.
When something happens against our will, we often experience greater resistance within ourselves. But perhaps that resistance is an invitation to discover something new.
The discoveries we make shape us.
And they enrich both our own lives and the lives of others.
Remember this:
You are always influencing — first and foremost yourself — through what you say, what you don’t say, what you do, what you don’t do, and through who you choose to be.
So my question is:
What do you choose when something involuntary happens?
How does it affect you — and the people around you?
