It is easy to be bombarded by negative news. Even if you don't go looking for it, complaints and tragedies of all descriptions show up unannounced.

 

But there are ways to engender positivity as well. I subscribe to a blog called Daily Good, and the creators hunt for those stories that rekindle joy. 

 

Recently there was an article about a man who invented a voice box. As a doctor in India he saw many low income patients who survived throat cancer only to remain voiceless because the price of a prosthetic was prohibitive. His device costs a dollar. As in less than a cup of coffee. He has already distributed two hundred, and in the next few years expects to sell thousands more. 

 

People who were mute, now speak. I like to let that sink in. Also it was the brain child of someone who not only can express himself, he could afford the expensive solution should the need arise. But he was compelled by the desire to extend that ability to others. 

 

Having the freedom to speak is a miracle. Whether it is the capacity to vote in an election, or the prerogative to demand fair treatment in the workplace, the human spirit longs to be heard. When John and I meet with other couples, the simple process of mirroring back what someone says can move them to tears. Whether it is our sorrow, or our joy,  having our message received brings incredible comfort.

 

Seven years back I made it a goal to listen to a hundred people. I trusted that the opportunities would show up. Which they did. There were no specifics about how long the conversation needed to be. If it felt genuine, it counted. It may seem artificial to put it on a to do list but that is one sure fire way of getting it done. I still have the names, with a single word describing what they spoke about. Some names appear more than once. A few have since died, or moved away. Others have endured hardship, or come into celebration. Rereading them brought a surge of warmth.

 

I am not a doctor. I do not live in a third world country. But there are people all around me who feel silenced in some way. It is my deep desire to offer them a voice, so that the messages of their heart can exist as they are meant to be.

 

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