But first, a thought.
A smile does not mean I am happy.
It means I am present.
It means I am trying.
I am often afraid to wear my smile. I want my pain to be acknowledged. I want others to recognize that I am human, that I suffer too, that I may be having a horrible day or fighting tremendous physical pain. I am afraid that others will not see beyond the smile. I am afraid that others will not see me.
And yet...when I smile, my thoughts tend to smile with me. My mind wonders what my face is doing and figures it should play along.
I am never aiming to be fake. I do not wish to wear a smile to pretend, to force myself into a state of being that I am not.
Instead, I recognize that with that smile, I am acknowledging my true state of being - the state underneath the suffering - and thus, celebrating that being. With that smile, I share that state of being with you and invite you to recognize your own.
I acknowledge life, it's humanity, pain and suffering. I acknowledge my back pain, our financial stresses, the loss of those in Arizona, the struggles of those in Australia amidst the floods, the hunger and devastation across the world. And I smile.
Because with my smile, I begin an awareness of the peace that lies underneath. I begin a communication with myself (my mind follows suit and thus taps into my spirit), and with you.
For us:
i love your gorgeous heart.
ReplyDeleteSo often smiling makes your heart smile.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
:)
ReplyDeleteYour eyes say so much more than your lips. And guess what...I do see peace...and happiness.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSmiling when we're feeling something other that joy doesn't mean we're not being authentic to ourselves and our struggles... it just means we're being present to and honoring that specific moment in time... WOW. What a concept!
*smiles back* :)
that is such a wonderful and complicated way of putting it... a smile can mean much more that being happy or putting on a fake face. so well written.
ReplyDelete