Rhythm Supported Communication
A BOY COULD NOT SPEAK…
Furious.
Ranting all morning.
Havoc on the school house.
Teeth gritting. Recoiling. Pushing. Pacing.
The quiet house of Hidden Wings a mayhem.
I started to drum on the table drum. Softly. Barely audible.
The boy does not like to drum. I just kept a so quiet rhythm.
Then he came over. Two drum sticks. Pounding. Then soft.
Then on my groove. His own rhythm, but woven onto mine.
He looked me in the eyes. No anger. “Danish” …
He hadn't eaten. His blood sugar tanked.
He would not have said it otherwise.
And this is Solvang, the Danish capital of America.
We held hands. Skipped to town. Had a macaroon.
.…AND ALL WAS WELL WITH HEAVEN AND EARTH.
The Rev. James Billington
Co-Founder, Hidden Wings
Unfurling the Gifts of Autism
COMFORT SOUND TECHNOLOGY makes rhythm accessible as a tool for facilitating language and learning for people with Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
Visit: www.thecomfortsound.com
For Drums Visit: www.remo.com
