about a little boy who was born deaf. He had an experimental surgery after which he could hear his father's voice for the first time. It is easy to find a catch in my throat when I see the shock and recognition on his face. Years of messages that were inadequately wrapped in sign language and gesticulations are now possible. It will take time to learn vocabulary but I predict he will be a quick study.
No one blamed this little guy for his inability to hear. Probably he had no idea what he was even missing. But his parents felt the ache of lost understanding, and carried the weight of longing for his voice. If you can't hear it is dicey to get the knack of speaking.
I have a friend whose husband falters at expressing his feelings. She asks in gentle ways, yet it seems he lacks the ability to either hear her or find his own voice. This makes for silence when she waits for connection. The other day she leaned toward the word "can't" instead of "won't". I tend to agree. Just because Lori's feelings and tongue are on a first name basis, and emotions come tumbling out of my mouth like current off Niagra falls, does not mean that the skill comes seamlessly for everyone in possession of a larynx. For some people, often the male variety, self expression is more scary than a pit of rattlers. They would rather fix the drain, fill the gas tank, work overtime at work or ride 26 miles on a bicycle than figure out how they feel and then cram it into syllables.
Who knows what it will be like in fifty years. I believe that many of our hobbles will break off like daisy chains when we die. I anticipate an animated conversation with my own son, when the effects of autism have expired. What will he have to say when there are no hindrances? My heart flutters with anticipation. Most likely men whose emotions were caught in a steel trap for six decades will open up like the little boy in the video, and their wives will hear their voices, some for the first time.
