Literasi tanggal May 14, 2019
Heart Song
Once upon a time there was a great man who married the woman
of his dreams. With their love, they created a little girl. She was a bright
and cheerful little girl and the great man loved her very much.
When she was very little, he would pick her up, hum a tune
and dance with her around the room, and he would tell her, "I love you,
little girl."
When the little girl was growing up, the great man would hug
her and tell her, "I love you, little girl." The little girl would
pout and say, "I'm not a little girl anymore." Then the man would
laugh and say, "But to me, you'll always be my little girl."
The little girl who-was-not-little-anymore left her home and
went into the world. As she learned more about herself, she learned more about
the man. She saw that he truly was great and strong, for now she recognized his
strengths. One of his strengths was his ability to express his love to his
family. It didn't matter where she went in the world, the man would call her
and say, "I love you, little girl."
The day came when the little girl who-was-not-little-anymore
received a phone call. The great man was damaged.
He had had a stroke. He was aphasic, they explained to the
girl. He couldn't talk anymore and they weren't sure that he could understand
the words spoken to him. He could no longer smile, laugh, walk, hug, dance or
tell the little girl who-was-not-little-anymore that he loved her.
And so she went to the side of the great man. When she
walked into the room and saw him, he looked small and not strong at all. He
looked at her and tried to speak, but he could not.
The little girl did the only thing she could do. She climbed
up on the bed next to the great man. Tears ran from both of their eyes and she
drew her arms around the useless shoulders of her father.
Her head on his chest, she thought of many things. She
remembered the wonderful times together and how she had always felt protected
and cherished by the great man. She felt grief for the loss she was to endure,
the words of love that had comforted her.
And then she heard from within the man, the beat of his
heart. The heart where the music and the words had always lived. The heart beat
on, steadily unconcerned about the damage to the rest of the body. And while
she rested there, the magic happened. She heard what she needed to hear.
I love you I love you I love you Little girl Little girl Little girl
And she was comforted.
Patty Hansen
