A PLEA FOR SMILE

 

A  PLEA  FOR  SMILE

A smile on the face of a person may indicate pleasure, happiness, amusement, sympathy, irony, contempt or any other state of his or her mind. The opposite of smile is frown which shows dislike, disfavour, displeasure, disapproval or discouragement. Whatever be the situation, smiles can convey its implication far better than frowns.    

A Nova Scotian humourist, Thomas C. Haliburton (1796-1865) says: What a sight there is in that word “smile!” it changes like a chameleon . There is a vacant smile, a cold smile, a smile of hate, a satiric smile, an affected smile; but, above all a smile of love.

According to Swiss theologian , John Caspar Lavater (1741-1801), there are many kinds of smiles, each having a distinct character.  Some announce goodness and sweetness, others betray sarcasm, bitterness, and pride; some soften the countenance by their languishing tenderness, others brighten by their spiritual vivacity.

English courtier and orator, Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield (1694-1773) makes an interesting distinction between a smile and a laughter: Loud laughter is the mirth of the mob, who are only pleased with silly things; for true wit or good sense never excited a laugh since the creation of the world. ---A man of parts and fashion, therefore, is only seen to smile, but never heard to laugh        

Finally, here is a powerful poem by the American poet  Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1850-1919), making a strong plea for preferring  smiles to frowns while walking on the difficult  road of life.

                        S M I L E S

SMILE a little, smile a little,

As you go along,

Not alone when life is pleasant,

But when things go wrong.    

Care delights to see you frowning,

Loves to hear you sigh;

Turn a smiling face upon her---

Quick the same will fly.

 

Smile a little, smile a little,

All along the road;

Every life must have its burden,

Every heart its load.

Why sit down in gloom and darkness

With your grief to sup?

As you drink Fate’s bitter tonic,

Smile across the cup.

 

Smile upon troubled  pilgrims

Whom you pass and meet;

Frowns are thorns, and smiles are blossoms

Oft for weary feet.

Do not make the way seem harder

Buy a sullen face;

Smile a little, smile a little,

Brighten up the place.

 

Smile upon your undone labour;

Not for one who grieves

O’er his task waits wealth or glory;

He who smiles achieves.

Though you meet with loss and sorrow

In the passing years,

Smile a little, smile a little,

Even through your  tears.

                                                            **********

3^rd April 2021                                                                          G. R. KANWAL