O is for October

O, Olivoyle

A little girl of great will

art by author

O, Olivoyle, do you know,
my little niece, how very
special and unique you are?

You are the youngest,
the baby of the cousins,
but left behind is something
you would never be.

Hidden in someone’s shadow?
I don’t think that was ever a
concept to you. Not you,
my little niece.
My little Olivoyle.

You brilliant, little thing.
The only one who
100 percent refused to use
sign language as a toddler.

Not because you couldn’t,
but because you wouldn’t.

Because you wanted to
express your right to have
a choice.

To show you have
a will of your own, and you
would not be broken.

Even that young,
you would rather not
get what you want than
to sign, “Please,” or,
“More,” and give the
grown-ups what they
wanted.