Smiles
by Jane Vest
"There are smiles that make you happy; there are smiles that make you blue" - words of a
song from the 1920's. Interesting how many types of smiles there are: tremulous, when we
are confronted with a sad situation and try to rally; the unexpected smile from a passer-by;
a smile of greeting; the indulgent smile from a loved one; the smile of embarrassment; the
smile when something amuses but does not quite call for laughter; the superior smile that
borders on a sneer; the smirk and the smile that is a grimace that doesn't reach the eyes.
When we meet one another, we look at the face first for recognition. If it is pleasant, we
stop and chat. If not, it is "hello" and we go on our way.
I won't bore you with telling you how many muscles it takes to produce a smile, but it is infinitely less than the amount to produce a frown. Smiles and frowns seem to have equal power but beware of the stretched lips and clenched teeth that purport to be a smile. In an animal that would signal attack!
Why do we smile? What triggers it? Something to think about.