Singing isn’t always sexy. Sometimes it’s all we can do to bring ourselves back to life and feel like a human being. Sometimes it’s our way of coming back to ourselves after illness or a traumatic event. Interestingly enough in the vocal coach training course I’m taking we learn that singing is simply a byproduct of what our vocal tract can do. It’s purpose is to maintain our breathing, but for so many of us singers, singing is life.
This week's guest on the working singer tells her brilliant story of overcoming leukemia and, during the illness’ battle, being unable to sing; not knowing if she would ever get her voice back. A scary thing for us who make our living with our voices and, moreover, whose souls are fed through doing this work.
I love this inspiring interview. I know it’s a scary thing to think about illness or to hear someone’s story about it because it’s not something we want to imagine for ourselves. A big part of empathy involves listening to someone else’s story and an even bigger part of our journey is to see what inspiration we can draw into our own lives by making the space for that story.
I was so inspired by Leslie’s story. The strength she drew from within herself at possibly her weakest moment in life is so uplifting. The relationships her experience healed and redefined are illuminating for just how we all can vault over the challenges folks provide in our own lives. The unexpected effects on the people around her show me how much empathy is required from the people in my life for me as I walk through the various struggles life provides. It truly is what makes such a trying situation worth it.
The only acceptable outcome was a full recovery. The only thing she believed was that she would restore her health and her voice and sing better than she had before. She followed her doctors’ advice, but decided she wasn’t done. She wasn’t finished. She still had more to do in her life and knew that contributing to the world at large was the strongest voice everyone could hear from her.
Listen to her story now at theworkingsingerpodcast.com.
