Babies have it easy. They can smile without a need for purpose and adults will naturally smile back at them. The reason or cause behind a baby's smile is not important. No matter that the old wives' tale says that a baby smiles when it has gas. A baby smile is a baby smile. Now, an adult on the other hand usually has a good reason to smile........other than gas, which normally will put a pained expression on an adult's face.
Adults' reasons for smiling are pretty universal. We smile if we are enjoying ourselves, if we are on national television accepting an award, greeting a loved one, winning the big game, holding a grandchild, sighting a loved one across a crowded room, dancing cheek-to-cheek, receiving a bouquet of a dozen roses, riding the crest of a wave with the wind in our faces, laughing with a friend, or chuckling over a joke. As a rule, smiling indicates pleasure.
Of course, there is the plastic smile. I think just about everyone is acquainted with the plastic smile - the one that is plastered on the face and is removed only by penalty of death or dismemberment. The plastic smile that looks as if it would crack the face mask in a thousand tiny pieces if the smile widened by even the smallest of increments. The plastic smile indicates that the wearer of it understands that a game must be played and will expect aching cheek muscles at the end of an evening wearing a plastic smile.
Last night I had good reason to smile and the wide smile on my face was genuine. The music was loud with a great beat, the lyrics were fun yet thought-provoking, and the back beat steady. An excellent recipe for creating smiles. The participants were smiling as well, perhaps even having fun in spite of some of their reserved natures.
Music, readers. It is an oft, central ingredient in the smile-recipe category. The single ingredient of which its absence would have rendered the evening ordinary. Add music to the mixture and, voila! you have smiles, fun and joy.
Ancora imparo
