PAID TO SMILE
We have all heard and known the positive impact of a smile on our health. Some 60 odd muscles is said to be relaxing every time we smile. Hence it has to be understood that, our body is designed to be relaxed or else we invite illness or disease. So what stops us from doing what the body needs and can be done easily? The building of habit has to be inculcated by the active involvement of the mind. So the next question is what stops our mind from making this a habit? We condition our mind to do several things which are both negative and positive and mind acts on our training from what we learn and these are called our traits, mindsets, behaviour, attitude etc. So we learn and acquire habits and make our mind reflect this. So, the key is what inputs we keep giving our mind? In other words, we consciously tell our mind not to smile, not to relax, and instead we ask our prime organ and entity to feel sad, depressed, tense, worry etc. It’s not anything or anybody that causes pain, but we ourselves are doing this damage and not anyone else. For all the pain or pleasure, tension or happiness, we are alone responsible for ourselves.
I remember a song composed by biddu, the music director for a movie called Star in which Kumar gaurav son of Rajendra kumar made a debut. The songs goes like this.. Teri zindagi mein yoo tho kabhi dard aayenge tho muskuraayeja.. It was wow for those times and it’s an amazing philosophy for any time. All it says is , only the smile can chase away the pain. I also recollect , the song “it’s gonna be easy now by Dan Seals , where he says, the problems will never go away and it only manifests in various forms as long as the mind is active. But we need to rationalize and tell ourselves that the earlier problem was worse or someone else is suffering more than us. Obviously i can’t feel deprived looking at film stars or big businessmen houses. I need to look at the push cart vendors, watchmen, servant maids and majority of the deprived sections and feel happy that i have at least a shelter to sleep and protect me from varying climates. Smile is all that is positive, it’s an acknowledgment, it’s the recognition, it’s the affirmation, it’s the symbol and it’s everything that makes our health and being very well and good.
All of us have read, thought, understood, and known the effects of smile and what it means to smile and how we can live on this medicine, this nectar of life and most importantly we all know it costs nothing. But some people are paid to smile and they have the toughest job. Have you ever looked at the watchman who opens the door in a restaurant? Have you ever seen several women working in so many hospitality industries? They are all paid to smile for 8 hours or more for their life time.. I feel this is the toughest job, as they need to keep aside all that is their own and keep smiling. Imagine, having to keep aside the cranky call from spouse, or ill health of dear one, or some financial issue and still smile several times as the job demands. They may not even be able to eat the good food that you ate, good flight you have had or a good party or time with someone. Or the deal that you struck or the agreement you signed. Some time it is not even the tip that you pay or the smile you don’t return.. Still they smile and most often it is the most genuine smile and if you are paying attention to the smile, will actually make you feel good. The next time, you walk into a hotel, or a flight or any place where someone welcomes you or bids goodbye with a smile, please look into their eyes and acknowledge. This act not only makes them feel that they are also humans but will get you small but treasured pleasure. Do this if you not already doing this consciously. More than telling anyone but i am telling myself now, even i knew before and been practising.
Once again the small people, the ordinary persons, the less ambitious make me learn and make me touch. It’s the open eyed open hearted life experiences that teach us and makes us happy. Being aware and being present in every moment and ability to smile all the time will heal, will help and will us healthy, wealthy and wise. And listen to the star song and dan seals song. Of course, there are several such times and quotes one can wish to listen and read but living and living simple is the key.. like the cliché goes.. it costs nothing to smile but instead can make you rich and enrich others lives.
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