A Child's Smiles - For Artoo

I don't know if anyone reading is doing the same, but I've been following the Caylee Anthony case since she was first reported missing ( I refuse to permit her mother extra publicity by stating HER name!).  The case is so disturbing on so many levels and the conduct of the mother is so reprehensible that it's entirely believable she is, in fact, guilty.  So many photos, clippings and videos of this precious, sweet lamb... her lilting toddler song to her grandfather, the sweet grins as she tried to mimic her mother's toothy grimace...I got out my pens to try to process some of the ugliness and was blessed with a vision of our Diva's littlest one, Artoo.  Precious lamb here, too, who will never be able to signal his joys with the same abandoned facial evidence of delight - no less precious for that, his eyes already speak volumes, at a mere few months of age.  I certainly can't feel sorry for him - he's boundlessly loved precisely as he is and rejoices in the most splendid parents and fabulous big bro - but I feel for his Mama to always need to look carefully to see his smirk of joy... how do these babies wrap around our heartstrings so quickly?  I've never met Artoo, nor will I ever meet Caylee, and yet I see their faces in quiet moments and add them in my prayers.  I was once told I must be shallow as I cry easily, and at the time I took the comment at face value and added a measure of hurt and guilt to my emotional baggage.  On reflecting as an adult in mid-life, I now believe I show my emotions so easily because they AREN'T shallow.  They run deep and overflow to prevent me from drowning in them.  They are large enough to encompass people I'll never know and keep me striving to live up to the ideals of humanity I value.  I only too often fail, but at least the wealth of feeling is always there, to catch me, close over my head to protect me, then lift me up to try yet again, once more, a little harder this time...So I was vibing on Artoo, and emotions and life and values and a million scattered thoughts resulted in this:

Happy Thursday!