Last Sunday, we took Alex to Tuba Christmas, a wonderful
annual concert held in Valparaiso University’s beautiful Chapel of the
Resurrection. Although Alex has enjoyed this concert in past years, we had a
little bit of trepidation as to how he might react this year, due to his recent
increased sound sensitivity. In fact, last month we had to leave a jazz concert
early because he covered his ears and told us the loud music bothered him. We
hoped that the much larger venue would help make the sound of the music less
intense for him and that the lower brass sounds would bother him less than the
shrill trumpets and saxophones at the jazz concert. Just to be sure, we sat in
the back of the chapel, where he would be farther away from the musical
instruments and where we could leave quickly if he became overwhelmed.
Despite the large crowd, Alex seemed comfortable while waiting for the concert to begin and studied the lyric sheet given to us as we entered. As the first song played, he began to sway to the music and was clearly content. For this concert, the musicians play familiar Christmas carols once and then have the audience sing along the second time they play the song. Alex used his index finger to follow along with the words to the songs and smiled as he sang softly to the familiar tunes, several of which he sings each week with his music therapist.
During the second song, a family came and sat behind us, and one of them was obviously excited to be there. I tried to turn subtly to see the young man who was singing with such enthusiasm, but I couldn’t see his face. However, as I turned, his mother recognized me and said hello to Alex and me; she is an awesome autism mom we know. Her son with autism is a little younger but more verbal than Alex, and at the end of each song, he happily exclaimed, “Wow! That was great!” I knew Alex felt the same way as the other young man; even though Alex didn’t say much, he grinned and shuddered with joy.
As I looked around the packed chapel, I saw many people checking out their phones instead of being totally present in the moment. None were as engaged as the young man sitting behind me and my son sitting beside me. Truly, these two embodied the “joyful and triumphant” described in “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Even though autism has presented obstacles that make their lives more difficult, they find joy and triumph in listening to music and singing Christmas songs.
At the end of the concert, the young man proclaimed, “That was the best Tuba Christmas EVER!” When I asked him if he had fun, he enthusiastically told me he did. While Alex was less vocal in his praise, he quietly but happily told us that he liked the concert “one hundred percent” and said that he wanted to come back for Tuba Christmas again next year. I’m glad we didn’t allow our concerns about having to leave the jazz concert early last month prevent us from taking him to this concert because Alex clearly enjoyed himself, and we had the opportunity to share the joy of the holiday spirit with a family like ours, raising a young man with autism.
Of the dozen or so songs we sang that afternoon, the one that best reflected the eager anticipation of our sons with autism was “Joy to the World.” While others may be caught up in holiday tasks of buying and wrapping gifts, decorating houses, baking goodies, and sending cards, Alex spends December looking forward to his own birthday and that of Jesus. Reminding us to celebrate, the song provides the reason why: “Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room.” Certainly, the two young men with autism sitting in the back of the chapel where they wouldn’t bother anyone were ready to receive their King; their hearts, filled with childlike faith, had already prepared room for Him. In the last verse of the song, we are reminded repeatedly to “repeat the sounding joy,” something we sometimes forget, but an important detail our sons remember.
As the days preceding Christmas dwindle, I am thankful that Alex reminds me daily to savor the anticipation leading up to his favorite holiday. When I feel frustrated or disappointed that his life isn’t as I had hoped it would be because autism has created challenges for him, I think of him and my friend’s son happily singing Christmas carols in the back of the Chapel of the Resurrection. At the front of the chapel, the statue of Christus Rex, Christ the King, joyfully and triumphantly lifts His hands in victory, assuring me that all will be well in the end. Indeed, “Repeat the sounding joy!”
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.’” Luke 2:10-11
Despite the large crowd, Alex seemed comfortable while waiting for the concert to begin and studied the lyric sheet given to us as we entered. As the first song played, he began to sway to the music and was clearly content. For this concert, the musicians play familiar Christmas carols once and then have the audience sing along the second time they play the song. Alex used his index finger to follow along with the words to the songs and smiled as he sang softly to the familiar tunes, several of which he sings each week with his music therapist.
During the second song, a family came and sat behind us, and one of them was obviously excited to be there. I tried to turn subtly to see the young man who was singing with such enthusiasm, but I couldn’t see his face. However, as I turned, his mother recognized me and said hello to Alex and me; she is an awesome autism mom we know. Her son with autism is a little younger but more verbal than Alex, and at the end of each song, he happily exclaimed, “Wow! That was great!” I knew Alex felt the same way as the other young man; even though Alex didn’t say much, he grinned and shuddered with joy.
As I looked around the packed chapel, I saw many people checking out their phones instead of being totally present in the moment. None were as engaged as the young man sitting behind me and my son sitting beside me. Truly, these two embodied the “joyful and triumphant” described in “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Even though autism has presented obstacles that make their lives more difficult, they find joy and triumph in listening to music and singing Christmas songs.
At the end of the concert, the young man proclaimed, “That was the best Tuba Christmas EVER!” When I asked him if he had fun, he enthusiastically told me he did. While Alex was less vocal in his praise, he quietly but happily told us that he liked the concert “one hundred percent” and said that he wanted to come back for Tuba Christmas again next year. I’m glad we didn’t allow our concerns about having to leave the jazz concert early last month prevent us from taking him to this concert because Alex clearly enjoyed himself, and we had the opportunity to share the joy of the holiday spirit with a family like ours, raising a young man with autism.
Of the dozen or so songs we sang that afternoon, the one that best reflected the eager anticipation of our sons with autism was “Joy to the World.” While others may be caught up in holiday tasks of buying and wrapping gifts, decorating houses, baking goodies, and sending cards, Alex spends December looking forward to his own birthday and that of Jesus. Reminding us to celebrate, the song provides the reason why: “Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room.” Certainly, the two young men with autism sitting in the back of the chapel where they wouldn’t bother anyone were ready to receive their King; their hearts, filled with childlike faith, had already prepared room for Him. In the last verse of the song, we are reminded repeatedly to “repeat the sounding joy,” something we sometimes forget, but an important detail our sons remember.
As the days preceding Christmas dwindle, I am thankful that Alex reminds me daily to savor the anticipation leading up to his favorite holiday. When I feel frustrated or disappointed that his life isn’t as I had hoped it would be because autism has created challenges for him, I think of him and my friend’s son happily singing Christmas carols in the back of the Chapel of the Resurrection. At the front of the chapel, the statue of Christus Rex, Christ the King, joyfully and triumphantly lifts His hands in victory, assuring me that all will be well in the end. Indeed, “Repeat the sounding joy!”
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.’” Luke 2:10-11
2 comments:
It is two more weeks to Christmas and I am starting to feel the anticipation too.
Merry Christmas, Adelaide!
Take care,
Pam
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