What I Learned From Owynn Oatman

I attended a party the other day where everybody knew the Oatman family, our hosts, but everybody didn’t know everybody else. We limped along making small talk, a little awkward, but mostly okay. 

Except for a quiet man who just sat in the corner of the couch and let his gregarious wife do the work.  She made eye contact and spoke to everybody in the room. He didn’t quite look anyone in the face.  I thought he must be counting the minutes until he could get up and go home. 

Until Owynn approached him. 

Owynn is nine months old, has a winning smile and cute little chubby cheeks that just don’t stop. She wobbles now instead of walks or crawls. She pulls herself up and then reaches for an adult hand. She’s sure one will be there. Then she wobbles forward a step or two until she reaches the couch. 

She did this several times with the Gregarious Wife, but then tried it when she wasn’t looking. The Quiet Man leaned forward and extended his index finger. 

Owynn grabbed it and did her wobble to the couch. She smiled at him and, you guessed it, he smiled back. He couldn’t help himself. He had a gentle warm smile and it took Owynn to show it to us all. 

Stay child-like little Owynn, and keep those sweet, chubby cheeks.