The word resonance comes from Latin and means to "resound" - to compress together natural frequencies into a pattern of harmonics. When our voices are interconnected, the resonant vibration from a one solo voice naturally encourages a response from the second voice . . .setting into vibrational motion the familiar patterns of voice . . .from the hushed and whispered of those who are learning to speak . . to the resonant voices of those women who have learned to speak and to honor . . the sound of their own voice in concert with others.
The familiar sound of the sea that is heard when a seashell is placed up to your ear is also explained by resonance. Even in an apparently quiet room, there are sound waves with a range of frequencies. These sounds are mostly inaudible due to their low intensity. This so-called background noise fills the seashell, causing vibrations within the seashell. But the seashell has a set of natural frequencies at which it will vibrate. If one of the frequencies in the room forces air within the seashell to vibrate at its natural frequency, a resonance situation is created. And always, the result of resonance is a big vibration - that is, a loud sound. In fact, the sound is loud enough to hear. So the next time you hear the sound of the sea in a seashell, remember that all that you are hearing is the amplification of one of the many background frequencies in the room.
It is my hope that we begin to honor our voices through our stories . . we will also begin to recognize the importance of being interconnected and supporting each other as we listen and share. These are the sounds and the stories of extraordinary voices of ordinary women.
