My daughter is a gifted communicator even though she rarely speaks in sentences. Her speech has improved over the past few years, but there are many words she cannot say. Her facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice make up for all the gaps in her vocabulary. The people close to her often understand what she is trying to communicate, because they have learned to read her entire body. Sometimes, a single word spoken by her can cleverly convey the equivalent of a dozen words.
“Mom” is one such word that has a multitude of meanings. Sometimes, she says “mom” with flat intonation. When she says “mom” in this tone, she may be trying to get my attention or simply making conversation with me. I answer her back and decipher what needs to be said next. My daughter may also say this “mom” if she has a non-urgent need. She knows she can depend on her mom to try to help her out.
Other times, my daughter calls my name with the vowel drawn out. This “mom” means I did something she didn’t like. It could be that I sneezed too loudly, dropped an item, or moved a toy on her table to the wrong spot. This “mom” is often playfully said, and she waits for me to tease her back.
There are several more versions of my name. I have learned to recognize what else is being said in those three sounds strung together. There’s one version of my name that I hate hearing. It’s the “mom” said with desperation in her voice. It’s a loud cry for help. During blood draws, medical tests, or uncomfortable moments in the hospital, this is the “mom” that conveys to me that she is upset, scared, and wants me to intervene. I talk to her and help her get through it.
Photo credit: Sai De Silva on Unsplash.com.
I know some aspect of how she feels in these troubling times. As she yells “mom,” I cry out to God in those moments too. There are times when I can put together a nice prayer filled with assertions for my daughter. I may even quote scriptures as I say requests filled with faith. Things don’t always happen that way, though.
There are times when I am so distraught, I simply say, “God.” It is the one word I can muster out when tensions are high. There’s much said in this simple expression, even when nothing else comes out of my mouth. There’s emotion packed in the word, and it’s a declaration that there’s a higher power working on our behalf. God knows exactly what I am saying when I say nothing else.
I have developed a strong relationship with God over the years. I have come to recognize His voice, but I am sure that He recognizes mine, too. Much like my ability to hear beyond my daughter’s one-word expressions, I do feel that God is able to interpret my single word prayers. He can hear the desperation in my voice when I say “God.” He knows this is a different call from our ordinary, everyday talks.
I know God wants to intervene for us, even when my prayers are not verbose. He can read my emotions, body language, and see the overall picture. When situations are challenging, I feel God honors my one word prayers, knowing that my heart is full of words that just can’t leave my mouth.
Communicating with my daughter has taught me much about God. I’m my daughter’s biggest helper here on earth. She looks to me for assistance. I gladly do what I can because I love her dearly. God's love is fierce and His power unmatched. When my daughter calls to me in hard times, I call on God who is there waiting to help us both.
Evana is a wife and mother of two children. She enjoys serving in her church’s special-needs ministry. Evana is also a pediatric speech-language pathologist and serves children with autism, feeding disorders, and other developmental delays. You can connect with Evana on Twitter, Facebook, and her blog, A Special Purposed Life. You can also read more about her family’s story in her book, Badges of Motherhood: One Mother’s Story about Family, Down syndrome, Hospitals, and Faith.
