Behind Every Wide Smile
Spending time with people I hadn’t seen in a while reminded me of how far humans would go to hide their pain. It reminded me of something I know too well.
And that is, often times, behind a wide happy smile hides a plethora of motives and secrets we would have never guessed or seen someone conceal for the sake of a ‘don’t worry, be happy’ face.
Sad little stories that haven’t been, and probably never will be told.
How much practice it took that person to make it seem and sound genuine.
Willpower that’s shaking, an insecure body that’s balancing, a mind full of unanswered questions and wavering thoughts.
Unrequited love still learning to be patient, barely hanging on.
Behind a wide smile there’s fear of failure and the uncertainties we didn’t sign up for.
Disappointment, stoicism, eyes holding back tears.
Behind a wide bright smile there’s darkness begging to be right about the light it flashes.
Behind a wide happy smile there isn’t always a wide happy smile.
Sometimes it is just grievance that learned how to laugh because the incredulous and the unkind made that person give up.
So remember next time you see someone smile wide; it could be real, it could be not. It’s not our role to question that. But regardless, be kind. And if it’s you, hold on tight — one day that wide smile will turn upside down no more behind closed doors.
