And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. (Luke 1: 63-66)

In my early thirties I lost my voice for several months. While I denied the diagnosis at the time, it was a stress-induced reaction to a figurative loss of voice, loss of authority, and loss of identity.

Once I was separated from the source of stress, my voice gradually returned. It has not, however, ever fully recovered. The weakness comes and goes.

The crisis that precipitated my prolonged quiet marked an end of innocence or, perhaps more accurately, the beginning of wisdom.

Before the event I was superficially self-confident. Afterwards I am much more aware of my limitations and much more cognizant of the world's complexity.

Before the loss, I was a modestly talented baritone soloist. Since the loss I sing with others, so that when my voice weakens I can depend on the others to continue.