From Darkness Comes The Most Beautiful Light- How Patrick Henry Hughes Will Change Your Life
A young man sits at a piano and plays. The music filling the air is so beautiful, anyone hearing it knows the young man is a true master. Then, his voice starts in:
"Clair de Lune... it means the light of the moon.
In the darkness of his eyes and the sweetness of his hands, when Patrick Hughes plays it is the music of possibility, and the sound of promise."
The camera pans in a little closer and you suddenly realize something very special about Patrick that makes the music even sweeter.
What is it?
Patrick was born without eyes and a painful joint condition that does not allow him to straighten out his limbs. Patrick was crippled from birth. Waking is impossible. But, Patrick's possibilities are unlimited. When his father, Patrick John Hughes, was interviewed, he said he and his wife were devastated when their son was born. "Why us? We worked hard and played by all the rules. We just didn't understand." Yet, the Heartbreak ended instantly. Before Patrick was even a year old, his parents sat him down at the piano. That's when the magic started. When his mom or dad would hit a note, Patrick would find the exact same note on his first or second try. If you don't think that is a gift, blindfold yourself and give it a try. By the time he was two, he was playing requests like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and You Are My Sunshine. Patrick's dad immediately "got it" and knew what the future held. He said, "Okay, we're not going to play baseball, we're going to play music together. Let's see how far we can run with this."
As Patrick grew, his musical ability went through the roof. He performed in Middle School and High School and became pretty well-known for his unbelievable gift. Which is why, when he enrolled in Louisville University, the Associate Director of Bands at Louisville, Dr. Greg Gyne, asked Patrick to join the marching band. Patrick's response? "Yeah right!" How could a blind man in a wheelchair march in the marching band? - enters wonder dad. Patrick's father found a way. He joined the marching band with him! No, he does not play an instrument. He goes to every class with Patrick, then every band practice. And while Patrick plays the trumpet, his father wheels him around with the rest of the marching band. His father works the graveyard shift at UPS so he can spend the day with his son. When asked about his father's work day, Patrick said, "Poor thing- He goes to work at about 11 p.m. Monday - Thursday night, gets in about 6 a.m., goes to bed about 6, and sleeps until around 11."
Patrick's dad's response? "He's my hero. I've told him before. What he goes through has taught me that I don't really have any complaints. I guess a father couldn't ask for anything more than the relationship I have with Patrick." Patrick: "God made me blind and unable to walk- big deal. He gave me the musical gifts. I have the great opportunity to meet new people." If you would like to hear more about this story and see Patrick and his father in action. Trust me, it's the best thing you can do with 10 minutes of your day.
