Very Good

Yesterday I sang at a group day care center where people with severe special needs spend the day.  When I say "special needs," I also mean they are special people.  For though it may appear they lack intellectual understanding, I think this allows them to come completely from their heart.

One of our favorite songs to sing together is, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." This is because they love to hear their names being sung to them and they love to pick the next person's name. After each verse I will ask, "who else?" and  Justine will say, "Daniel!" And after Daniel I will ask, "who else?" and Diane will say, "Susan!" and it goes on like this for a good long time until we have sung for everyone in the room and beyond.

There is one girl who cannot sing or speak but she makes up for this with the light in her eyes and the big smile on her face and how she dances in her wheelchair.  When she is especially excited, she shakes her head from side to side vigorously. To someone who does not know her, it may appear she is saying, "No." When in fact it is more like, "Yes! Yes! Yes!!"

As I was getting ready to leave,  I told her we could sing one last song. I went and sang with her, "This Little Light of Mine." and again the shaking head, the vigorous movement in her chair. When we finished singing she said clearly, "Very Good."   We were all surprised to hear her speak. In the 6 or so years I've known her, I've never heard her to so. It really made our day!