Behind the Smile….
September 12, 2008 by Anna Farmery
Filed under Affirmations of Life
I try each day to smile, I know that the world lives on and that they have troubles of their own. So I try and listen to people, I try and be there for them, often to the detriment of myself…it made me write this
The Grieving Smile
“How are you today?” Oh fine, I say and the smile appears,
The smile that reassures those people that care about me,
That I am coping – despite the grief.
Those lips that used to touch his,
Now curl upwards to to display the grieving smile
A smile that hides the pain, hides the desire to be alone
Alone with the memories that I crave to be still alive.
Yet, the more I smile the grieving smile
The more I even start to believe myself.
The grieving smile is now reassuring even me, that I am coping
That smile is now giving me the strength
To know that one day that smile will not be forced
And instead, express the love I feel for life, once again.
That is the power of the grieving smile.
Thank you, Anna. I so needed to read these words today. I have just come through the 3rd anniversary of my husband’s death and I now realise I had stopped believing in the power of a smile.
Thank you for reminding me.
Alison, my pleasure. I know that the more we smile, the more we ease the pain…though the thought of smiling is often one that we hate the thought of…
3 years…well done, this is not just an anniversary of your husband’s death but also a celebration of your strength and courage….Anna
This is a wonderful entry. I will try always to smile. Even sometimes now, so early in my grieving, I find myself smiling effortlessly. It feels good to smile. I hope the smiles become more effortless and less forced as I progress on this journey. I have faith that they will.
I also want to send my best to Jessica who lives in Texas. I have been watching the coverage of Hurricane Ike on CNN. I do hope you are safe.
Oh yes Jessica let us know that you are safe and well, I forget how lucky I am not to live in hurricane country.
You and me both Leslie…they say smiling is contagious, so I trick my mind to catch the idea of smiling. I am not sure you can be contagious to yourself but I will keep on trying!!
Such lovely words … a smile does make all the difference
I’m very glad about the write up from anna. It pays to smile no matter the situation in which you find yourself. Infact a smile is the food for the soul and everyone can give it.
Suzanne thank you for stopping by, when people leave a comment they leave a smile as far as I am concerned!