Joe Mazzella
My two adult sons both have special needs and are on the Autism spectrum. My youngest son has a more severe type and doesn’t speak much. A few words when he wants something are the most we can get out of him.
He does love listening to music, though, especially Christmas music. Well recently he discovered that on our cable television there is a music channel that only plays classic Christmas carols. Needless to say we are now hearing Christmas music every day of the year.
My son will sneak into my bedroom and turn the TV onto the all Christmas channel. I don’t mind, however. When I hear his joyful laugh when one of his favorite Christmas carols comes on my heart fills with joy as well.
The truth is my boy comes by his love of Christmas music naturally. I too used to listen to Christmas carols any day of the year. It could be the coldest day in January or the hottest day in July and I would put some Christmas music on. I even had some Christmas cassettes hidden in my old car that I could pop in the player while I was driving somewhere by myself.
Then I would turn them up and sing along. My singing wasn’t always a pleasant noise but it was a joyful one.
I found that listening to those classic Christmas carols always raised my spirits, made me feel more connected with the world and at one with God. They helped me to give my love more freely, to help others without fear, and to share my joy without worrying about what others think. They helped me to be more like the person I came here to be, the person God wanted me to be.
They helped me to share the music within me, to give my love and light to the world.
We all have music deep inside of us. We all have talents, love, light, strength, goodness, and kindness to share. And God wants us to share them. God wants us to make our lives a song of love that all of Heaven wants to sing along with. May we all do so.
