Episode Details

Nearing the end of a hectic week of speaking, I could feel it coming.

What began as a raspy voice at the start of one talk turned into a whisper by the end. As a sinus infection intensified, my throat swelled, swallowing hurt and my body ached, but the hardest part wasn't the pain.  It was the silence brought on by laryngitis.

For a man who makes his living with words, losing my voice felt like losing a part of myself.

After a week of quiet, though, as my voice slowly returned, I realized something unexpected: Losing my voice gave me gifts I didn't know I needed. Let me explain.