“Why don’t snakes have eyebrows?” asked the sloth.
“So, that you can’t tell when I’m frowning.” the snake replied. ~Unknown
We have over forty muscles in our face to help us make expressions. Yet we spend most of our adult lives working to hide our feelings.
Even though I watch other people’s expressions or the lack thereof, I seldom think about what my resting face looks like to others. Call it catatonic, highway hypnosis, deadpan, poker face, thousand-yard stare, or RBF. Call it what you will, it’s interesting what we say, when we say nothing at all.
Can you just imagine what the world would be like if we all had tails that wagged? A tail that worked independently; sagging when we were sad, wagging when we were happy, and so on. Maybe a tail would help us to understand each other better.
How often do you think about the expressions you wear? Please leave a comment. I’d enjoy hearing from you.
This adorable painted illustration and many others are featured in my new children’s book The Unbelievable Topsy Turvy Day! Coming soon.
Such a lovely little story for my reading pleasure this summer night. Thank you, Leanne.
Thank you, Nadia. I enjoy writing about positive things that relax us and hopefully make us sleep a little more soundly. I hope it worked for you.
Thank you, Nadia. I enjoy writing about positive things that relax us and hopefully make us sleep a little more soundly. I hope it worked for you.
I try to smile at everyone pass because a smile is contagious! : )
😊 yes, it is! Thanks for the smile, Mary!
I don’t have RBF, I have RSF – resting smirk face! It means I can look guilty even when I am innocent! After wearing a mask at work for so long, I am now conscious of the times I stick my tongue out while concentrating, or forget to smile. It doesn’t take much work to smile, so let’s keep doing it!
OMGoodness, Miriam! You are one of those people that can always bring a smile to my face. Thanks for staying in touch over the years.
As usual, I love your thoughts that you put out into the world. I do actually think of this fairly often. I conciously try to put a smile on my face even when alone and at rest, hoping that it will become my go-to expression. Since I know that the physical act of smiling actually makes us feel better – less stressed, uplifted, it seems like the place I want to be starting my other emotions from. I think smiling makes us more approachable, too. I love the idea of having a tail, or something in our bodies that responds genuinely regardless of what we may be trying to hide. Keep these questions and reflections coming! 🙂
Sarah, you’re so right! Thank you for pointing out the many benefits we get when we laugh and smile. Keep “the power of laughter” going. http://www.laughhealthy.com/