Shouldn't…but Do

Dysphonia has me again. Laryngitis. Voice, aural expression reduced to a whisper. Walking into an office, and known to be a gregarious sort, I was hailed with a hearty “hello,” today. The uneven squeak representing my intended response gave great merriment, to myself included.

How often do our words come out differently than expected, even with our best intentions? When misunderstanding, not merriment, holds sway.

Pivotal moments of human interaction turn on finely grained cues – tone, a word too many, two words too few, a weightless pause. Words are fickle tools, especially in an uncertain voice.