I’ve always placed a high value on smiling; a smile is good for the universe. Our own smile can cure so many ills, and even can predict our lifespan. (what??) And without a doubt, it makes the day brighter for everyone (admit it).
This week I’m traveling through airports for the first time in many months and one of my favorite parts of any journey is the quick acknowledgements and unspoken connections with other people on their own adventures. An airport is one of the genuine places where people know “we’re all in this together, aren’t we.” Especially those of us traveling alone.
But that’s not happening this time. Everyone’s masked up and distanced. I know it’s necessary (and we must stay committed) but I’m worried about yet another negative effect of the “cure.”
In Covid times, I’m worried we might lose the habit of smiling. We’re ducking and avoiding each other. In the grocery store I can’t even recognize my neighbors, let alone stop to chat with someone who’s looking for the same obscure ingredient. In the beginning of mask season, we joked about smizing – to smile with our eyes. But that’s just weird.
Honestly, even this bright, optimistic Enneagram 7 is losing the habit of smiling behind the mask, because it’s frankly a bummer. I want people to know I’m smiling at them and have that day-brightening glimmer happen! As it is, when I’m meeting eyes with strangers in the airport today, and they can’t see my smile, it just feels like a stare – and in my general concern for being understood, I don’t want people to think I’m giving them critical stare, so we all just look away. We’re all averting our eyes. Ugh.
So what’s the solution? Smile Anyway.
I’m committed to this dreadful mask-wearing-season of stopping the spread of the virus. But I’m going to start a new movement. #SmileAnyway
If we work together, we can head off this insipid side-affect at the pass – so we protect our future endorphin population and protect something that’s positively contagious in the best of ways.
Even though we can’t see your pretty smile, #SmileAnyway
It’s good for the universe.
