![]() ![]() ![]() All weekend he finds himself unable to open his briefcase and prepare for next week's work. It's all pulled out."The father takes the baby but gives her back to his wife as soon as he can. Here, hold the baby while I fix her blanket. We'll call the pediatrician first thing Monday. If that beautiful baby is deaf and it's my fault, I'll never forgive myself."'Hey, wait a minute," says the wife. Maybe it's because my grandfather was deaf. And all I know is that my baby doesn't hear a thing. ![]() "It doesn't even mention the other possibility, that the baby is deaf. Doesn't that make you feel better?"Not much," the father says. Your pediatrician can test your child's hearing neurologically.'"There," the mother says. The startle reflex and attention to sound often take some time to develop. She looks up "hearing" and reads out loud: " 'Don't be alarmed if your newborn fails to startle at loud noises or fails to orient toward sound. "Let's read what's in the baby book," she says. Her eyes don't even focus yet.""But there wasn't the slightest movement, even when you clapped as hard as you could."The mother takes a book from the shelf. "I mean, it's too soon to say a thing like that. "She's deaf.""No she's not," the mother says. Then she picks up the baby, who immediately perks up, wiggling and cooing."My God," the father says. Together they go into the nursery.She calls the baby's name, jingles the bell, claps her hands. "It's as if she can't hear.""I'm sure she's all right," the wife says, pulling her dressing gown around her. "She doesn't seem to respond to noise at all," he says. He finds his wife in their bedroom and tells her what just happened. The baby's eyes don't move.His heart has begun to beat rapidly. Her eyes don't move.He picks up a furry little toy attached to the rail of the bassinet and shakes it, ringing the bell it contains. His heart is overflowing with awe and gratitude for the beauty of her, the perfection.The baby opens her eyes and stares straight up.The father calls her name, expecting that she will turn her head and look at him. ITwo Ways of Looking at LifeTHE FATHER is looking down into the crib at his sleeping newborn daughter, just home from the hospital. ![]()
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