SIGN LANGUAGE

Communication

is not limited to

the small range of choices

defined by
the world

I recently had on the bus a young Down-syndrome girl probably around four years old.  I greeted her as I do all kids stepping into a huge vehicle and looking up at a guy sitting high on a seat.  She responded with a timid little wave of her right hand, as her left hand was tightly grasping what looked to be her caregiver and not her mother.

As both exited the bus after a short ride, I said ‘good-bye’ as she passed by on her way out the door, to which she responded again with a simple wave of the hand.

The bus was stopped at a very busy intersection in North Park, while she and her caregiver waited for the light to change and cross the street.  She suddenly turned her head around and signaled me an additional wave, to which I responded with the same.  She then sent a completely new wave, which I followed in kind.  This developed into a spontaneous sign-wave session, where I would reflect back each unique signal she would generate.  These included right-arm upward thrusts, left-hand side-ward thrusts, front rotations, downward spirals--you name it.  It didn’t take long before folks in the front of the bus started to notice my gyrations, and those that could see the both of us, got a kick out of the whole performance.

All of this took place within a minute, but it was a minute well-spent.

Let it not be said that sign language is a primitive form of communication, because within that minute, a boatload of LOVE and JOY were sent both ways.