Human beings are blessed with the power of communication, which they express in many forms: oral, written, and through gestures using their body or facial muscles. Words and drawings make written communication expressive, while gestures and facial expressions convey emotions dramatically.
We are a complex combination of emotions and feelings. We harbour many positive and negative emotions within ourselves, and these emotions change and evolve as we progress through life. One emotion that everyone desperately seeks everywhere, throughout their lives, is happiness. Ironically, it is said to reside within us all the time; we only have to express it outwardly.
How can we consciously express happiness at all times? The answer is simple, yet crooked like a curve. When in school, we all studied curves in geometry, namely the parabola and hyperbola. The main task was to prove with formulae that they are indeed curves. Later in life, we learnt to manoeuvre innumerable twists and bends, and of course, very steep curves.
Talking of curves, a smile is the simplest one, which does not require a formula to prove itself. There is no need to swerve sharply when you come across it, unlike the ones on the road.
As they say, there are a hundred reasons to smile; we only have to find one. See a baby with a toothless smile, and you too will involuntarily beam back a smile. Another toothless smile sits nestled between wrinkles and weary eyes. When we spend time with our elders, they feel happy, and it also gives us inner satisfaction.
Happiness is in every moment of life we live. We receive it manifold compared to the happiness we give. Happiness is in every fresh breath of air we inhale; we only have to remember negativity and discontent to exhale. True happiness lies in this: before lighting a hundred lamps in your home, you brighten the face of someone alone with a smile.
It is healthy to wear a smile every day, without fear that it will ‘wear out’. In times of true happiness, the eyes smile along with the lips. The most difficult time to smile is when the heart is filled with grief. Yet, that smile radiates inner strength and resilience, urging us to move ahead in life.
Forgive, forget, and move on; don’t let grudges last. Happiness is about living in the present. Don’t wait for moments in the future to celebrate or enjoy. If you don’t cherish happy moments now, you will be the loser.
Another reason we don’t find happiness within ourselves is our habit of comparing our lives with others’. We don’t accept who we are. Happiness comes when we count our blessings and show gratitude. A life lived with grace has no reason to brood.
When we smile at people, its reflection falls back on us as people smile in return. We feel blissful and see flowers smiling, swaying in the gentle breeze, and the Cheshire moon with its golden crescent smile in the sky. Happiness is watching the sunset after a fulfilling day and waiting eagerly at dawn to catch a glimpse of the first ray.
Happiness is a choice, a habit, all within us. We only need a state of mind conditioned to make it true.
A smile can unlock many doors and spread the warmth and brightness of a million lamps. And if you can bring a smile to even one face, consider yourself blessed, for you have fulfilled your part.
So, the next time you look at yourself in the mirror to adjust your attire, be sure to fix your smile too. Someone may need to borrow yours, or maybe you’ll have to return one.
Image Courtesy: https://www.pexels.com/@alan-campos-924345/
If this reflection curved a smile on your face or stirred a quiet thought within, share your feelings in the comments below. Your words might become someone else’s reason to smile.
– Munira Dalal
About the Author:
Munira Dalal holds a B.A. in Sociology and is a respected educator with nearly two decades of experience teaching across various schools and coaching students from all boards. She is also a Level 8 trained Abacus instructor. Munira’s creative flair extends to designing greeting cards, leading to the successful launch of her brand, SHABNAM, which offers a collection of exclusive, self-designed greeting cards.
Her poetry, covering diverse themes, has been widely appreciated and awarded in renowned literary forums, including Asian Literary Society, POEMarium, Prose and Poetry with January Khan, StoryScrapers, Penmancy, Poetry Planet, and Beyond The Box. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to literature, she was honored with the SAMPOORNAM MEMORIAL AWARD 2018 by the Asian Literary Society.
