Selectively Juggling

My daughter is beautiful. My daughter is exactly who she is meant to be, perfectly-imperfect like everyone else. She has a rare genetic disorder called Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. She has a moderate intellectual disability. Yet, she is incredibly capable, sociable and engaging. A few months ago she started doing ‘fun drum’ on a Friday afternoon. Basically it’s a combination of therapy via drumsticks, drumming, music and laughter. This Friday my colleague/friend and I were actually invited in to the room to play. I wasn’t expecting to laugh so much, so much that it hurt. My daughter and her peers/friends are all dynamic, hilarious and unapologetically themselves. I was forced to be the very essence of myself – my inner unapologetic and uninhibited child got to delight in the energy of drumming (think African Drumming) I got to stand in the middle and dance a beat that they all drummed. I got to see my friend let go of all her responsibilities and adult seriousness and laugh so hard that she almost had an asthma attack. We laughed so hard – it sprung up from the deep well of genuine happiness.

I was beyond happy trying to keep up with my daughter and her friends as they drummed their way through song after song. It was something that I have never experienced before. I got to see my own reflection in the warmth and joyful eyes of the owner as she witnessed the mother-daughter magic between my daughter and I. I realised that within that musical space, there was no ability or disability – there simply was pure human expression, joy and life-source energy. I laughed from the soul of my belly and the depth of my heart. Every cell on my body vibrated with laughter. It was transformative – magical musical alchemy that took my busy active mind and filled it with joyous quiet of musical and connection.

This is not hyberbole. I actually said to the owner, we need to create a new program for familiest to ‘drum together -hum together’ . I understand the harmony in harmonics now.