Episode 157 - I'm not a Superhero

I am not a superhero. I know this because although I wear a mask, I do not wear a cape, put my underpants on the outside of my trousers, or have any superpowers. In fact all of my skills and abilities are rather ordinary and neither particularly super or powerful. If I did have one gift that was a superpower though, it would be my smile which seems to have the power to disarm the grumpy and spread joy with very little effort. If my smile was my superpower, then I suppose having to wear a facemask would sort of be my kryptonite, for now, my smiling has no effect because no-one can tell that I’m smiling… or so you would think.

 A funny thing about smiling is that although it primarily refers to a movement of the mouth, it spreads across your whole face seemingly infectiously, softening all of your features and bringing a lightness to your appearance. So even when a smile is hidden, it can still be seen. Another funny thing about smiling is that although it’s an involuntary expression of inner feelings stemming from an overflow of joy, it can also be a choice made contrary to what you might feel inside. You might extend a smile to someone as an expression of affirmation or a friendly greeting even when you don’t feel joyful at all. The final funny thing about smiling that I’d like to point out is that whilst it’s thought of as an outward expression, when you choose to (genuinely) smile despite what you feel, it’s impossible to stop it travelling inward, spreading across your soul and lightening your spirit, just as it’s impossible to stop a smile physically spreading to the rest of your face. So as you go about your day today, smile like no-one’s watching, and know that the whole world will see!