Tonight Natalie had her end of the year music concert. She sang, played instruments, danced a bit and played a silly part of a monkey being snapped at by a crocodile. She did great! On the way home I commented about how well she sang her solo line in “Dancing Matilda.” As I stood in the back of the auditorium I could hear and see Natalie clearly, crisply enunciating each syllable of “Ma-til-da loved to sing songs e-ver-y day”. 

At home she asked if we could download the pictures and videos I had taken of her. Sure! When we got to that song, I again commented on how clearly she articulated/sang every word. She asked me: “Mama do you know why I did that?” “No, why Natalie?” “Because I wanted people to understand what I was singing exactly. And because Mama if there were any deaf people in the audience I wanted them to be able to read my lips and understand too.”

Wow. Okay. Right there my heart exploded. I wanted to lavish her with kisses and hugs for that super sweet compassion!!!!! And do you know where she got that thought from? Just earlier this week the kids’ music school (Music Rhapsody) posted on their Facebook site, a short YouTube video of a 29-year old woman who had been born deaf, who was used to reading lips, who all of a sudden through the miraculous use of a certain new type of technology, was able to hear her own voice for the first time. It was recorded and was online for all of us to see. The caption that accompanied it, from our music school, is how blessed we all are with the gift of our hearing. And, truly, watching this woman cry, cry, cry, cry at the beauty of sound as she listened to herself laugh, to the voice of the woman who was helping her, to her husband’s voice…..I couldn’t help but cry as well. It was hugely compelling. Being able to hear sounds, enjoy music, listen to each other’s voice…..these are gifts and blessings each and every day. So, yes, I had shared this video with my kiddos earlier this week. We sat together watching this woman cry as she heard beautiful, rich sound for the first time. I had asked the kids “Why do you think she’s crying?” And Natalie immediately responded with “Mama, she’s crying because she is so happy.”

And now I think I’m going to cry as I head off to bed……thinking of how sensitive of a heart Natalie has. She was sensitive to the emotion of the woman on that YouTube video. Somewhere deep down inside of her she internalized that message of being grateful for our functioning ears. And now, days later, her mind somehow tapped into those thoughts while she stood in line waiting her turn to sing her solo line. She wanted any deaf people in the audience to be able to read her lips. Awwww that seriously just grips my heart and makes me want to cry.

Thank you Lord for Natalie’s sweet compassion.