So everyone says your clothes tell a lot about you right? Or something like that. What you put on says a lot about your style, the way you carry yourself, what you do for work, your age or lifestyle, and several other things. We spend our mornings picking out the perfect pattern and ironing in the perfect crease or some of us pick up the closest thing on the floor. Regardless, we spend some intentional (ugh, student affairs) time thinking about what’s going on our body. We think about what it might communicate and if it’s appropriate for the occasion. It matters, right?
Well what about what we wear on our face?
And I don’t mean make up.
I’m sitting on the train right now and looking at all the faces. Many of the faces I see are sleep, blank, engulfed in an electronic device or newspaper, staring into the distance, and only one on the whole train is engaging in conversation with a stranger. As people get up to exit the train, their faces turn to a dark “it’s Monday” look as they finish their commute to their destination. As the line gathers near the exit door, not a single smile comes across the busy commuter’s faces. What are you wearing on your face? What does your face communicate?
It seems like the art of dialogue is a dying talent. A train well over 50 people and there is only one conversation, that I can hear, occurring. Now, I’m blogging so I should slap myself on the wrist, but think about it…what did people actually do before we became so distracted? Did people talk to other people before they got lost in the faceless screen of our addictive cell phones? Did people drag their feet to work with a look of death on their face? Did people shy away from the person that looks like they talk too much?
I know I’m guilty of it. I’m sure my face is communicating some young adult typing away the latest rap song on Facebook (HA! they’re wrong. I beat the system). But think about it. What does your face say about you? Are you smiling and embracing the time and space you have around you or are you blankly walking to the next step on your to do list? You never know if you have that last smile that could make someone’s day. As corny as it sounds, someone might be depending on your smile.
It’s unrealistic to walk around ear to ear everyday, but why not give it a try once in a while. I just looked up at a lady and smiled as she exited the train and she quickly looked down in a nervous glance at the same shoes she put on this morning thinking…is this lesbian looking at me? Lol ok, maybe I’m being dramatic. It just blows my mind that a friendly gesture, a simple smile makes people uncomfortable or unwilling to do as we have the greatest opportunity each day– living.
Think about your face today. Who’s smiling at you as you nervously
look away? Yes, it’s you they are looking at, not their long lost grandmother, so smile back and say hello. You could be that first or last hello of their day. Imagine if you were the first person someone opened their mouth to to speak today. What if there isn’t someone at home to say good morning to them? Be that person today.
