That Still, Small Voice
Posted on March 14, 2014 by Daniel Brown, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Listening to our intuition is more important than obeying the "Voice of Authority".
We’ve all heard of that still, small voice that lodges just to the back of our consciousness. Most of the time it is ignored. But every now and then, it can make itself predominant and save lives. It did on September 11, 2001.
When the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center, nobody inside the other tower had any idea what had happened. Most assumed a small airplane had collided with the building. Into this vacuum, another voice was heard, the Voice of Authority. Broadcasting over the intercom system, the Voice of Authority assured occupants of the as-yet untouched South Tower that everything was fine and that they should get back to work. Most did.
But there were some individuals who did not. Their still, small voices was sounding alarm bells to get out the building.
These voices most likely didn’t say why. They didn’t explain that this was an orchestrated terrorist attack and that other shocks were coming. They didn’t announce that before the end of the day, the majority of those working on the premises would be dead. Reacting instinctively, those who listened to their still, small voices ran down the stairwells and survived the horror about to descend on lower Manhattan.
Everyone is conditioned to obey the Voice of Authority. We give our trust to the teacher who instructs us. The doctor who examines our bodies. The lawyer who handles our affairs. The auto mechanic who fixes our cars. Often, these are safe and rewarding relationships, occasioned without mishap or trauma.
But not always.
The events of 9/11 are an extreme example that, thankfully, we don’t have to face every day. But the story related here serves to remind us that we have our own “Voice of Authority” within ourselves. Accessing it takes practice and trust, mingled with trial and error. Chances are, we might never have to apply it in life and death situations. But we should never allow it to be silenced. It remains a good tool to have around, especially when that other voice of authority is fatally wrong.
