“Every little thing is gonna be all right,” Mikey sings as he runs down the hall with a big smile on his face. The sound is pure heaven to me and I feel myself grinning from ear to ear.
Bob Marley’s song “Three Little Birds” is more commonly familiar from the line that Mikey has made so adorable: “‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right.” The song appears in a children’s video that plays during one of Mikey’s TV shows and it has fast become his favorite video to watch.
As any parent of a child with autism can attest, any words that come out of your child’s mouth are heartwarming miracles. Mikey started singing this song the other day and at first it was just adorable and cute, but then after I listened closely and read the lyrics of the song, I felt so uplifted and saw it as if Mikey was really talking to me.
“Don’t worry about a thing”
When it comes to Mikey my normal reaction IS to worry about everything. I would do anything to help him with his autism and I do everything I can to make him happy and loved. As I think of that line I realize I need to stop worrying about the things I can’t change.
“Rise up this mornin’/Smiled with the risin’ sun”
One of the best sounds in the morning is to hear Mikey wake up singing. I can’t think of a better way to start the day and this line makes me remember to cherish that sound.
“Three little birds/Pitch by my doorstep/Singin’ sweet songs/Of melodies pure and true”
Mikey is my little songbird. Most of the time his speech is littered with echolalia and gibberish, but it’s those times, those sweet, sweet times, when he says a word or phrase perfectly, or, when he sings—those are the most pure melodies of truth I can ever hear. For every grunt or whine there are those infrequent times of joy when I hear “I luff you,” and then, then all is right with the world.
“Sayin’, ‘This is my message to you-ou-ou”
I hear you talking to me Mikey. I do. And I will always listen. I can’t wait until the day you can tell me every single thought in your head. I’m listening.
