I Never Knew Voices Could Evolve, Until This Happened

Discovering how finding my true voice taught me that growth often begins with listening to myself anew

Photo by Ninthgrid on Unsplash

There is a bird that lives deep in the Amazon called the lyrebird, a master of mimicry, known for copying almost any sound it can hear, including the calls of birds, the sounds of nearby machinery, the chainsaws in the distance, and even the sound of a photographer’s camera shutter clicking.

The lyrebird doesn’t just mimic its surroundings, however. It takes the sounds learned from its ancestors, the current environment, and adds new sounds to create a unique song.

Each generation learns and layers new sounds on top, refining and changing the song till it captures a combination of sounds that evokes the past and present of the forest.

I was astounded when I first learned of the lyrebird, but quickly dismissed it, until I also began to go through a form of evolution, but it wasn’t with feathers or songs, it was with my voice.

It started simply. I was asked to speak at an event. I have always thought of myself as having a “decent” speaking voice; clear enough for casual conversations and meetings.