Courage changes how we see

Most future parents imagine their newborn to look like a cute cherub with soft plump cheeks, a smooth, nearly-hairless head, and radiant eyes that disappear when he or she breaks into their first smile. Usually, this image becomes reality. Sometimes, life throws in a difficult surprise.

That’s what happened to the Martins when their son, Cam Dawson, was born with a cleft-lipped palette. When his father Matt found out, he was understandably shocked. But when he held his son in his arms, all regret and resentment melted. All Matt could think of at that moment was loving his newborn son.

Soon after they took Cam home, they began a series of surgeries to correct his cleft-lip. The treatment was long and difficult, and included leaving a therapeutic mouthpiece, which they had to leave in Cam’s mouth for most of the day. Even if they were eager to give Cam the best grin possible, the highlight of each day was when they’d remove the mouthpiece and see Cam break into a beautiful vibrant smile.

As the day of the latest surgery drew closer, Matt and his wife began to worry about the change in their son’s appearance. They were afraid that after the operation, even if Cam would look more like other children, he wouldn’t be the same baby they fell in love with. At that point, his parents had learned to cherish everything about him, unconditionally. They loved looking at him so much, they wished they could stay at home and gaze at him all day.

They had learned to see the beauty of their son not only in his appearance, but in the fire of his heart. Here are Matt’s beautiful words describing the priceless lessons he learned from being a dad to Cam:

He healed fast and has the best freakin’ personality. That kid loves so hard. Do I wish he didn’t have to go through all of this? Of course. But do I wish we never had him? A million times no. This baby has changed me in so many ways. He really has changed my life.

After that last surgery, this is how Cam looks now. His big heart beaming through his wide smiling eyes!

This sweet little boy still has a few more surgeries to go but the love his parents have poured out on him, and the joy and hope his story brings into our world, shows how a person’s value is so much more than what we can see on the outside.

To discover loveliness in someone, all we need is the courage to love. This is the key that unlocks the inner beauty that lies inside each of us.

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.”

― Kahlil Gibran

Cam’s story brings these words to life, and points us back to where true splendor hides in all of us: in how our hearts move, in our choices to love.