are they really missing anything?

i love the sounds at the ballpark. there are very distinct sounds and smells that take me back to my own youth. the crowds yelling at a play made well, the long ball, the ball smacking the pocket of the glove. the most recognizable sound is the ball coming off the bat with the unmistakable "crack". wood bats are made from a variety of hardwoods. all produce a different "crack" and some aficionados can even tell you what kind of wood a bat is just by that sound. my ears are not that trained but i can tell you this-metal bats ain't even close.
at this ballpark, there is a couple who work in the clubhouse. he is completely deaf and at best his wife is very hard of hearing. both have cell phones but i guess that is another story. they sign and seem to communicate well with each other as well as with the non-hearing impaired.
i had just gotten off the phone with family back home. i am sitting at a picnic table, watching a good game, and just enjoying being outdoors on a nice night. the small crowd was doing their best to provide some noise. this couple was there and they were gesturing to each other with each play. it was then that i realized we are watching the same game but hearing it differently.
i can't relate to living in a silent world. some hearing loss in one ear is as close as i can get. theirs is totally silent. they will never hear the "crack" nor the crowd. one of the sweetest sounds, your own child crying for the first time, they will never hear. no "i love yous". just silence. do you really "hear" silence? i started to feel some emotion over all they are missing. i sat there trying not to make my observations so obvious. as i watched, they appeared to enjoy the game more than i was!!! so, are they really missing anything? all their other senses more acute? i don't know.
i have seen them on many occasions. they silently go about their tasks with meticulous attention. they are almost always smiling and wave to me when they see me. society may look at their "handicap" but are they really "handicapped".
as i watched them i want to believe, have to, that they are living a "normal", healthy life just as i am. seeing their gestures and their faces, are they really missing anything? if they never heard, how would they know what they are missing?
most of us go through our lives with all of our senses intact and never hear what those closest to us are saying. our friends and family try to communicate with us but we miss it. here are 2 people, that i came to see aren't missing anything.
until next time...