It’s just been over a week and the evidence of Alex’s cleft lip surgery is quickly fading. Our young son has proven to be quite a trooper…and a tough little man who has taken it all in stride – and more times than not with giggles and sprints down the hall (much to mom and dad’s horror at least in the early days following the surgery). At first the change in his little face seemed so significant and a little disconcerting because the beautiful little boy with the cleft lip…the adorable little face that had mastered expression and laughter, and which made his deep dark eyes so powerful and overwhelming…the little man we had fallen in love with, and very much so because of his unique smile and bold inner charm…seemed momentarily replaced. I think though I will always miss Alex’s cleft lip because in so many ways it was the defining element of his young life that brought him to us and connected us all so deeply…I am a little sad to see it go. With each passing moment of his recovery all of Alex’s little charms and idiosyncrasies bubbled to the surface…his laughter and giggles remained infectious – perhaps even more so…and he took command of us again quickly with his bravery and resilience. Then this morning at breakfast I watched him gently touching the contour of his new lip and he smiled and wobbled like he does when he’s pleased with himself. My heart melted and I felt so happy that this physical deficiency could be corrected and that we could give him this gift…and that he seem to understand its importance and that it makes him happy too.
Photo by Tannis Shaw-Lewis (2012)
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Lawrence Lewis
“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” -Vince Lombardi
About Lawrence Lewis
I do a number of things professionally...but most of all and the true purpose of what I do through "my work" is to provide for my family, be a good husband and great father, and try to make a difference as a world citizen...I guess it's not much more complicated than that 🙂