Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Melody (08/24/06)
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TITLE: Silent Melodies | Previous Challenge Entry
By Allison Egley
08/31/06 -
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Years had passed since Candice’s original diagnosis, and Sandy was still struggling with its implications. Candice had recently had surgery to implant a Cochlear Implant. It helped some, but not as much as everyone had hoped. Candice did well, all things considered. She made decent grades, and had friends. She could communicate with hearing and deaf classmates, through a combination of signs and lip-reading. Her closest hearing friends had really made an effort to learn basic sign language so they could communicate with Candice. Sandy was grateful for that. Her siblings protected their baby sister, and made sure no one picked on her. They defended her when their friends talked too loudly to her, thinking that would help, or when they deliberately talked slowly.
Candice even found her own way to make music. Sandy’s fears of her never hearing music proved to be unfounded. She didn’t hear in the traditional sense, but on an even deeper level. Sandy was amazed every time she watched Candice respond to the music she, her husband, and the rest of their children played. God blessed Candice with the ability to create melodies with her hands. Through her signing, she could take anyone who cared to listen to a different world, a world in which hearing comes from the heart, not the head. Even though she had never physically heard the music to any of her family’s compositions, she could write the lyrics. She sensed the melody, and her signing along with the music created a seamless picture of words, harmony, rhythm, and movement.
Candice often sat beside her father as he played the piano, staring intently at his hands. For her, the music was in the movement and in the vibrations. One day, as Candice was watching her father’s hands, she signed for him to stop playing the melody. Keith kept playing the left hand accompaniment while Candice reached over and began weaving a melodious sonnet of sound. Quickly, Keith encouraged Candice to keep playing while he recorded the notes.
“How did you do that, when you can’t hear what I’m playing?” Keith asked.
“I felt it.” Candice signed. “I can’t explain it, but I watched your hands. They painted an image for me, and I completed it in my head. It’s my silent melody.”
“Do you have words for this?” Keith asked.
Candice immediately nodded. Keith sat down at the piano, integrating his accompaniment with her melody and watched as his daughter stood before him, integrating her words with the sound, and creating a masterpiece.
Melodies don’t come from the head; they come from the heart. And silent melodies can speak the loudest.
Psalm 149:1-4 (NASB)
[1]Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones.
[2]Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.
[3]Let them praise His name with dancing;
Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
[4]For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.
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What I might change - maybe add some more dialogue further up? I did like this story. You did a great job!
They painted an image for me, and I completed it in my head. It’s my silent melody.”
Wonderful writing and thank you for sharing your heart.
God Bless, Kaye