:)

A smile … the simplest form of human expression…and yet an almost indecipherable miracle able to convey so much meaning and so many types of emotions! Instant or carefully prepared and rehearsed in the mirror, casual or formal, natural or artificial, superficial or rather deep, real or fake...a smile is a smile and the equivalent of knocking at the entrance to someone’s soul...
Right here, right now...following the suggestion of a virtual friend ... I’m going to write about a certain kind of smiles, the one which comes right from the heart...and is felt and shared with the best intentions in mind... even when it may be hidden behind our utmost fears, disguising our bitterest sorrows, camouflaging our most inextinguishable regrets or covering up irreparable losses including that of hope....A smile like this should be worn neither like a carnival mask, a compulsory uniform which goes with the job nor carried like a fashionable accessory to improve our public image or … a deadly weapon meant for either self-defense or (mass) destruction...On the contrary, a genuine, authentic smile should be revealed like a spiritual extension of our own identity, the embodiment of our purest inner selves, a remarkable result of the symbiotic relationship between body and soul outwardly acting together towards harmony and acceptance.
When we smile, we send the message that we welcome and embrace the one(s) we see. A smile is like a speechless “hello”, “thank you” or “good-bye” which doesn’t necessarily require the presence of another greeting, the most accessible form of kindness, a priceless gift we can all afford to offer anywhere, anytime, regardless of the occasion… A smile is a visible type of magic…. a tangible form of affection, an irresistible invitation to be human, to stay human, reaching out in the darkness of thought and coldness of routine… for something better than a fresh beginning, a spectacular sunrise or an unforgettable first time.
We are people. We dream, we love, we kiss, we smile, we miss, we cry, we are hurt. We smile again. We are human. Before we learn to speak or walk, we learn not only to smile but also how to smile back.