on being "cute"...

I am surrounded by people that try EXTENSIVELY all day to be cute.  My students are careful to do things that would make them appear cute to each other and to the opposite sex.  Sometimes these things are actually pretty obnoxious.  I have coworkers that refuse to do anything that would even sort of maybe in the slightest way embarrass them.  Even people that I walk past in in the mall are working really hard to be attractive - with their tight little sweat pants and furry boots.
And then there is my son - who I observed eating Cheerios this morning.  That was cute.  Effortless.  Popping in one Cheerio at a time into his tiny mouth, his pointer finger lingering in there as he sucked off the sweet honey residue.  Looking at me with big blue eyes like eating a pile of Cheerios was the best gift I could ever give him.
When do we stop being just naturally cute?  When in our lives did we decide that we had to start trying?  Why is it no longer effortless?
I can tell you that if Dustin started eating Cheerios that way I would be deeply disturbed. :)

another great photo by Katie Zeller