smile

These reported facts, by a group of American psychiatrists is what led me on my nerve-racking mission to seek out smiling faces among a sea of humanity. Prior to that, I hadn’t noticed the acute national need to smile ‘a really cheerful smile’, hence dispelling all gloom!

There were many faces at the post office that day, all glum and taciturn. In my efforts to find a breezy countenance, I scanned the area frantically... enough to arouse some suspicion. “Yes?” growled the man crouched behind the barred counter. Suddenly, his ferocious voice jolted me back to reality. Was I standing in front of a caged animal at the zoo? Caught unawares, I simpered as the man scowled, rerouting my smile. After all, ‘simper’ is also a smile, although a little silly.

Psychiatrists have found that there are five categories of smiles. The first is an ‘upper lipped smile’; you greet a friend with a glint in the eyes, lips curved; and without uttering a word it says, “how do you do, dear?” The second type is the ‘lip-in-smile’, which one gives to their boss, i.e., a subordinate greeting a superior. The third is the ‘nonsocial’ smile, indicating that the smiler is happy within, for some unknown reason. The fourth being an ‘oblong’ smile is what we should most beware, for it is with pretence, a mask that may hide a wolf within. The last is the ‘broad’ smile, the real thing we all wish to see, feel and enjoy.

American writer and developer of famous public speaking and interpersonal skills, Dale Carnegie, extolled a broad smile as unaffected, sincere and warm. It speaks louder than words. It radiates happiness. However, English poet and playwright, William Shakespeare, appears to be more practical though given to a little cynicism when he observed, “one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.” He did not believe in the power of this missile. To some extent he may have been right.

Dr. Ewan Grant of the Department of Psychiatry at Birmingham University has studied the different ways by which man communicates without words. Of the one hundred different signals that he has recorded, the ‘smile’ is perhaps, the most expressive. Our face is a mirror of our emotions. Slight changes here and there can speak eloquently for us. I am sure that the longest word in the English language is ‘smiles’, for the distance between the first and the last ‘s’ is a ‘mile’ long! Imagine a world where everyone smiled and all work was accomplished by the flash of white teeth rather than the flash of gunpowder.

“Smile, the sunshine is good for your teeth.” Remember that those who generously deliver sunshine to others are the beneficiaries of a healthy dose as well!