When Words Fail, Music Speaks

When Words Fail, Music Speaks

  There are times that I question my sanity.  We have had quite a roller coaster year, since forming the two bands "Bebop Girls" and "Cole Warren and the Jambox Boys".  I love all of the kids that are in both of these groups, simply because they love coming over to Cole's house.  I am grateful for music, simply because it gave Cole a voice and now a very active social life.  My new mantra I live by is this:  "When words fail, music speaks".  I woke up one morning this year and thought of this concept.  Cole really didn't speak until he was eight years old.  I prayed daily that I could find something that would break through that non-verbal wall and he would talk to me.  Cole said a few words when he was a toddler:  "pizza, Star Wars, Daisy (our dog)", but mostly he did his countdown from Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve.  Each day I would wake up and pray that Cole would say something different, besides counting down from 60-1, "Happy New Year 2005".  Cole's language deficits were very frustrating to me, but since I had a strong faith, I just let God lead me to the next doctor who I thought could help us.  What I know now vs. what I knew then is simply this:  let your child shine in no matter what they do, even if it's a New Year's countdown.  Cole now downloads music, listens to Ryan Seacrest on his radio talk show, tells me about Dick Clark and how he's his favorite celebrity, and also who pushes the button with Mayor Rudy Giualliani or Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  Cole said the reason he loves the song "Imagine" so much is because he first heard it on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.  I was worried about Cole when Dick Clark died in 2012, simply because I knew he would be sad.  Each day, Cole asks me "Mom, when did Dick Clark die?"  My reply is, "Cole you tell me.  Why do you ask?".  This small conversation gets me excited, simply because Cole is asking me questions, he knows what he wants to say, and he tells me how much he misses Dick Clark.  Now added to that list are Buster Cooper (my former tap dance teacher and extraordinaire) and Jerry Nelson (the voice of Count von Count from Sesame Street).  I know music and the countdown are the reason my Cole speaks.  I now can't shut him up, simply because he had all of this knowledge bottled up and he is still trying to get it out.

     We have been so fortunate to have so many wonderful teachers grace our lives.  By now, you know that Robert and Dottie Giesler are very important people in our lives.  Just to remind you, Robert was my high school principal at Woodrow Wilson High School.  Dottie is his better half and we are so blessed to know both of these people.  Without them, I don't think I would have gotten this far in life.  There are certain teachers that leave a mark on your lives and you never forget them.  Armelia King is one of those teachers that left a very positive and lasting impression on my life.  She was a mentor, coach, and amazing teacher.  She was tough, but she had to be tough because she taught middle school science.  I love this woman, simply because she was the greatest teacher of all time, in my eyes.  I have been blessed to reconnect with her daughter, Dottie-- yes Dottie (not Robert's wife), and have been fortunate enough to see both Coach King and Dottie this past month.  Sometimes there are circumstances that prevent a person from reconnecting with your loved ones.  I thank God each and every day Dottie and I found each other again, simply because she was such a great friend to me at J.L. Long Middle School and her mom was such an important part of my life.  I am one lucky woman who counts her blessings every day.

     Today, as I woke up I prayed for Becca Bryan and her family.  This is one teacher who is like Armelia King.  She loves all of her students at Merriman Park Elementary and she thinks of ways to keep her students engaged in learning.  She is the music teacher at Merriman Park Elementary and she is moving onto greener pastures.  I can't say I didn't see this coming.  Becca is the most inspiring music teacher I have ever met.  She gets life.  She loves her husband and kids with every breath she takes.  She loves music, but most of all, she loves my Cole.  She tells me every day what he says at school, how much he helps her, what he does in her class (he has Becca twice a week), and how all of the students love Cole.  She gets it.  She is one of those contagious people that I love, simply because I think she loves to teach music.  Merriman Park Elementary is going to lose a lot of great teachers this summer, simply because of the changes that were made to this great school a year ago.  I knew Becca was going to leave Merriman Park.  She didn't tell me she was going to leave.  I could read her like a book.  I knew if there was something better out there, she would take it.  I have witnessed great teaching, great music educators, and great artists come into my life, but Becca is one of those rare breed of teachers that inspires me every day.  I dream about a world filled with Becca Bryan's and Phil Bryan's (her husband), simply because they are great people and great teachers.  She has inspired me to write this blog, simply because she believed in me.  Episcopal School of Dallas is going to have a treasure of a teacher.  Becca's presence is going to be missed at Merriman Park Elementary.  I really can't put into words what she has done for MPE and my son, simply because I could write a book about her and her impact she has made at MPE in two short years.  I will be forever grateful for Becca and Judith Kline (the part-time MPE music teacher) for encouraging Cole to always do his best.  They are inspiring and amazing teachers.  I pray for Becca every day, simply because she is one of those people that prays for me.

     This post will now be wrapping up and we have only six days of school left!  I am swamped, overwhelmed, and simply amazed by how many activities the 6th graders have at Cole's school.  I am now in the final stages of making sure the kids get their choreography right, memorize their lines, and remember their words when they are singing!  Did I mention that Cole is singing "Imagine" for his solo at his final Merriman Park Elementary talent show?  I am truly blessed God picked me to be Cole's mom.  Cole is the most amazing young man.  I know if you met him, you would love him too.  Give your child a chance.  Know that if your child doesn't speak it doesn't mean they don't have anything to say.  They have to find their voice in something they love.  Cole found his voice in music.  I love the fact that I am an opera singer and that Cole loves to sing.  I don't teach Cole how to sing-- he teaches himself.  I could hire somebody to give Cole private voice lessons, but he knows how to sing.  This kid amazes me every day.  He gets life.  He understands what love is.  He loves being Cole.  I wish our world was filled with people like Becca Bryan and Cole Warren.  They make this place a better world to live in.