Listening not speaking all the time..!

Some time back I’d lost my voice. “Come back voice!” I shouted silently to my voice, but only a hoarse guttural sound came out of my tired throat. “Laryngitis,” said my doctor wife with professional tone.
“What do I do?” I asked.
“Nothing,” she said with glint in eye, “Just keep quiet!”
“Salt water gargle,” laughed my daughter vindictively. I tried. Salt water trickled down to stomach below and t’was the dreadful sea sickness all of a sudden, with tummy adding to my voice box woes.
“Honey,” said a choral singer.
“Honey?” asked the wife.
“Yeah,” I said slurping the sticky stuff.
“No honey,” said the wife, “Not good for you.”
“Good for my throat,” I shrieked shrilly.
“No honey!”
A friendly medical book gave me a week to recover. “A week!” I shrieked to hardcover book and looked at diagram of larynx sketched so neatly in descriptive page. The vocal chords in book looked angry red, I wondered whether mine were deep purple. ‘Exposure to certain harsh chemicals or toxins can cause vocal chords to swell,’ said the book. I grabbed newspaper. ‘Garlic is a good remedy for toxins,’ it said. I rubbed garlic on throat, inside mouth and nearly onto vocal chords.
“Strange smell,” said the wife that night.
“Dead rat,” said the maid next day.
“Garlic,” I mumbled sheepishly.
“Yuck,” said the wife. “Yuck!” said the maid.
I looked up. “Give me back my voice,” I prayed.
“Listen,” said the Lord.
“Yes I’m listening,” I said, “To what?”
“Just listen,” said the Lord. “Listen. Listen. Listen!”
I did.
“No voice,” I croaked as quiet neighbour got in step with me for my morning walk. “No problem,” said the neighbour. “My father passed away, last week and I can’t get over the grief.” I listened. He poured his heart out to me.
“Thanks,” he said, “I feel better.”
“But I didn’t say anything!” I thought.
“You listened!” said a quiet voice above.
That evening at the local choir performance, I stood dumb. The man at my side, who I always outshouted with my loud voice could be heard today, because mine was silent. I listened, I heard him sing out. It sounded old, papery thin. But somewhere in the audience I saw a woman smile. She waved, she was his wife, she had heard her husband’s voice, at last, because mine was silent! At my side I felt his smile. Now, he stood straight, his tired voice now sang out loud and firm.
I felt a God above smile.
“Listen,” said the Lord.
“I am Lord,” I whispered, “I am!”    
That night as I knelt in prayer I heard His silent voice saying, “You know Bob, there’s so much I have to say to you each day.”
 “Why don’t you Lord?” I asked.
“Because there’s always so much you have to say!”
 I was glad I had lost my voice, because I listened, speechless..!
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Listening not speaking all the time..!

Some time back Id lost my voice. Come back voice! I shouted silently to my voice, but only a hoarse guttural sound came out of my tired throat. Laryngitis, said my doctor wife with professional tone. What do I do? I asked. Nothing, she said with glint in eye, Just keep quiet! Salt water gargle, laughed my daughter vindictively. I tried. Salt water trickled down to stomach below and twas the dreadful sea sickness all of a sudden, with tummy adding to my voice box woes. Honey, said a choral singer. Honey? asked the wife. Yeah, I said slurping the sticky stuff. No honey, said the wife, Not good for you. Good for my throat, I shrieked shrilly. No honey! A friendly medical book gave me a week to recover. A week! I shrieked to hardcover book and looked at diagram of larynx sketched so neatly in descriptive page. The vocal chords in book looked angry red, I wondered whether mine were deep purple. Exposure to certain harsh chemicals or toxins can cause vocal chords to swell, said the book. I grabbed newspaper. Garlic is a good remedy for toxins, it said. I rubbed garlic on throat, inside mouth and nearly onto vocal chords. Strange smell, said the wife that night. Dead rat, said the maid next day. Garlic, I mumbled sheepishly. Yuck, said the wife. Yuck! said the maid. I looked up. Give me back my voice, I prayed. Listen, said the Lord. Yes Im listening, I said, To what? Just listen, said the Lord. Listen. Listen. Listen! I did. No voice, I croaked as quiet neighbour got in step with me for my morning walk. No problem, said the neighbour. My father passed away, last week and I cant get over the grief. I listened. He poured his heart out to me. Thanks, he said, I feel better. But I didnt say anything! I thought. You listened! said a quiet voice above. That evening at the local choir performance, I stood dumb. The man at my side, who I always outshouted with my loud voice could be heard today, because mine was silent. I listened, I heard him sing out. It sounded old, papery thin. But somewhere in the audience I saw a woman smile. She waved, she was his wife, she had heard her husbands voice, at last, because mine was silent! At my side I felt his smile. Now, he stood straight, his tired voice now sang out loud and firm. I felt a God above smile. Listen, said the Lord. I am Lord, I whispered, I am! That night as I knelt in prayer I heard His silent voice saying, You know Bob, theres so much I have to say to you each day. Why dont you Lord? I asked. Because theres always so much you have to say! I was glad I had lost my voice, because I listened, speechless..! [email protected]