Non-Verbal Communication

A funny thing happened to me a couple of days ago and it has me smiling every time I think of it.  A lesson learned long ago about people and differences, but knowing that once you learn something you never really forget the basics.  It has my eyes glimmering as I remember my Great Aunt & Uncle and my heart smiling as I think back to college and my Foreign Language classes - American Sign Language (ASL).  At my high school ASL, wasn't offered as a Foreign Language, so I took Spanish, but once I got to college I knew I was going to take ASL. My Great Aunt & Uncle had both been Deaf and loved to teach me the alphabet when I was little.  I would practice it over and over, timing myself on how fast I could sign my name.  My Grandmother and I would hook up the phone line to a typewriter that sent messages back and forth with them -- pre-internet, pre-email, pre-text messaging, back when telephone land lines were all we had.  I was so intrigued by the community, by the thought of their lifestyle, by the communication.  When we visited, I loved seeing all the different systems that they had in place, lights flashing when the doorbell rang, closed captioning on the television, etc.  When I started taking classes with a good friend of mine we giggled at how this would come in handy when we wanted to talk to each other without anyone else knowing what we were saying (especially boys), but really we loved learning something new.  I wasn't sure if or when I would ever use it, but I loved it just the same.

Fast forward to present day and get ready to judge me a little.
Ready? I'm about to reveal something about myself.
Are you sure you're ready?
I'm not perfect. I can't do it all and I'm fully aware of that. To help me out - we have someone that comes occasionally to help give our home some clean attention. For the most part we keep it clean on a day-to-day basis, but twice a month this person comes to give it one good scrubbin'.
There. I said it out loud. Done judging yet?  You can go ahead and take my Mother of the Year award away, I didn't really want it anyway. :)

Ok good, now back to the story - recently I had to find a new person to come and help us out so I had to do a couple of meet and greets at our house to get some quotes and make sure that we were all on the same page.  Enter Ms. V. We had emailed and texted and finally we set up a time to meet.  One evening, literally as we are pulling into the garage I noticed her car waiting for us. Shoot - she was early and I, no we, were a hot mess:  two hungry and tired kids, backpacks, gym bag, purse, lunch bag - pretty much a bag lady. Tucker had wandered out of the garage and up to Ms. V who was getting out of her car. I yelled from the garage that Tucker was friendly, but old.  Then as Ms. V smiled and continued to walk up the driveway with her sweet baby while I was talking randomly and getting mine out of the car, I turned to her and she signed that she was Deaf.  Doh! There I was jabbering on and yelling about the dog, not even knowing that she was Deaf - but hey, wait -- I know ASL!

BAM! 

Here's my chance! It's only been 13-ish-years. 

You still remember it don't you? 

Uh, what was that? Can you sign it slower? 

Let's just say it was great. She was great. Seeing Cameron watch us as we signed and tried to communicate was even better. I tried to get him to show her some of the words that he knows, but he was a little shy and maybe a tiny bit scared. Later, I tried to explain to him that Ms. V couldn't hear and that's why we had to use our signs.  He followed us everywhere we went and just watched with his mouth open as we tried our best to understand each other. My signing was horrible and atrocious, but I loved being able to use it. Being able to try. I loved using another way to communicate to another Mama that was a lot like me.  After doing all of that signing and trying my best, I had that ASL love in my heart and when we said goodbye I had to hug her.
Judge me again: Why yes, I am a hugger -- even to potential housekeepers.

When I rambled the story to Tim later, he thought it was so funny - but really cool. When I texted Ms. V later to thank her for coming over and for her patience with my signs, she said she'd come help me practice any time! :) Two points for bringing that old joy back and knowing that even though it wasn't perfect I could still understand and communicate for the most part.  I know that my Great Aunt & Uncle would be thrilled to know that I was trying my best.