This morning...

It was about 11:30 am. We had finished the morning treatments and while Thary (the PT) was preparing lunch, I was finishing the exercise posters we had put together for the patients. As I traced out elegant and curvy Khmer alphabet outlining basic instructions, I heard a beautiful sound. It was singing. The melody had various undulations and patterns. It was sweet like mango juice. I stopped what I was doing and began to follow it...outside, three of the patients were sitting on one of swing sets in the front yard. One woman, who lives in permenant darkness for the scars have sealed her eyes shut and continue to ooze puss, was singing in the most beautiful voice. The other patient, also a woman who's burns resulted from a gasoline explosion fire, was lying on the other bench, also humming along. The blind singer was holding and caressing the hand and shoulder of one of the male patients. He is the most quite of all the patients; keeps to himself and doesn't say very much. I usually find him quietly lying in his bed and when I ask why he is not out with the others, his sads eyes look up and he just says "pain". Here he is - outside and smiling.
I brought the posters outside, set myself up on the front stoop, the house dog lying on my lap and floated with their songs...