Some of you may know that I have a grandson who is autistic. I live in Ohio
and he lives with my son and daughter-in-law in Minot, ND where his dad is
stationed in the US Air Force. My daughter-in-law has become aware of Clay’s
music directly because of his work and TBAF. She is not a Claymate or even a
major fan like most of us here, but she does like his music and supports him
because she supports “the man.” Like many, she does love Christmas music and
couldn’t wait to get the All is Well mini-cd. She got it today and emailed
me her and her son’s reactions to it.

As is the norm with her days, she will often do her own housework and class
work while my grandson plays quietly nearby. His autism is characterized
basically by difficulties with in the language development areas. Although
he is now (thanks to speech therapy and an inclusionary pre-school
environment) saying a few words, the better part of his life has been
non-verbal when it comes to communication. When he talks, it is seldom more
than two or three words strung together.

She put All is Well in the cd player while she was cleaning the kitchen.
Mark was coloring in the dining room. When she stopped to take a look at
him, the song All is Well was playing. What she described to me has had me
reduced to tears of joy.

Mark had stopped in mid-Crayola and was listening intently to Clay’s voice
during the song All is Well. She described the look on his face as "almost
angelic." He was smiling softly, yet a single tear was falling down his
cheek. He noticed her looking at him and raised his face to her and said his
favorite word, “Love.” She knelt to him and the two of them “communicated”
in ways mothers and sons have been communicating since the beginning of
time. With all the daily ups and downs, frustrations and joys of raising a
child with autism, at that moment, she felt a calming sense of peace. A
feeling that, at least for that moment in time, All most certainly was Well.

And that is what I think this song is all about. At least that is what the
words will mean in our family. We know Mark will face many challenges in his
life; all of our children will. Many of his challenges may actually be less
than some of those faced by children who are not suffering from the learning
challenges of autism. Whatever those challenge children and their parents
may face, as long as there is “love”, the kind of love expressed and felt
through Clay’s rendition of All is Well, there is much hope and cause for
celebration.

So thank you, Clay, for this beautiful song. It proves again that although
Mark cannot “talk”, he most certainly can hear. Although his mother may not
“hear” him, she can in a meaningful way “listen.” So since Mark cannot
traditionally use his voice, I will speak for him to bless you for these
lyrics that say so much:

All is well all is well
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of love's light
Sing Alleluia
All is well all is well
 

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