on being deaf

two recent moments~

(one)

last week at the morning music portion of m's summer camp, 

one of the dads spoke to the kids. 

his son, who has typical hearing, is going to summer camp too,

but the dad is deaf.

he has a cochlear implant on one side and a hearing aid on the other.

m excitedly pointed the dad out to me the first day of camp;

she always notices is someone is deaf or has hearing loss- 

whether they have implants or hearing aids or if they are signing.

she becomes instantly obsessed and shy, especially if they are grown-ups.

i happened to be home, so matt was there to hear him share;

when m came home, she told me that the dad told them to remember two things:

*if you can't hear the teacher, ask them to repeat it until you understand, or ask to move to the very front.

*people might say that you are different (because of your hearing loss), 

but you are exactly the way you are supposed to be. 

you are perfect just the way you are.

let me tell you, my heart (and my eyes) felt full as she repeated those words.

you are perfect just the way you are.

matt told me that the dad had all of the kids repeat that sentence 

out loud, together, repeatedly.

how powerful.

i am perfect just the way i am.

(two)

in the car on monday,

matt was driving and he overheard the girls talking in the backseat.

i guess m had been talking with her speech therapist about blindness, 

so she was trying to explain it to ruby. 

then matt interjected and asked ruby if she knew what deaf meant.

her answer: 

"deaf means i love you."

my strong, kind, deaf daughter,

you were born exactly the way you were supposed to be.

you are perfect just the way you are.

and i love you.