Friday, May 13, 2011

Death Head on the Horizon

Smile:  A favorable, pleasing, or agreeable appearance; bright, pleasant aspect.

Today’s meeting had a few fleeting references to the effect that smiling can have on the people that we encounter in the course of a day.  When I look at pictures of myself pre-drinking – a gruesome task not suitable for pregnant women or young children or anyone with a heart condition, really – I am never smiling.  I look surly, vaguely threatening.   And when I do show teeth, my expression appears forced or to be more of a grimace, like I’m unsuccessfully trying to pass gas.  I look like a fleshed-out death’s head.  I don’t think any of us would say a skeleton is smiling.  Smiling is not just the teeth.

A few years back I really tried breaking out the smile when I talked to people, especially strangers.  I don’t know why I didn’t try it earlier.  It has a magical effect.  People smile back.  I don’t even have to smile sincerely for people to react positively.  I can totally be faking it.  I try to smile even when I feel like saying: “Ah, why don’t you go to hell.” 

Part of being happy today is simply pretending to be happy.  I find that I fool myself half of the time.  I find that I start to get happy despite my best efforts to stay pissed, and I so love being pissed, apparently, because I do it all of the time

No comments: