Beneath the makeup and behind the smile!

GUEST COLUMN: Dr N Prabhudev

Bengaluru Express
Bengaluru, Oct. 7:
Trust the one who could see the sorrow behind your smile, the love behind anger, and the reasons behind the silence. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, an inviting smile, a kind word, a listening ear, and an honest compliment, a small act of caring – all of which can turn a life around.
Prettiest of smiles hide the deepest of secrets. The prettiest eyes have cried the most tears! The kindest hearts have felt the most pain. Behind every smile there is teeth. I can measure the velocity of light but can’t assess the Hatred of people behind their smile!
Beneath the make up!
The Mask is a Metaphor in Life! Like icebergs, people normally expose only a small part of themselves – the part they wish to show. Virtue has a veil, vice is a mask.
We Learn to Hide Under a Mask Early in Life! The perceived safety of masking can be costly. We don’t even realize we are wearing them. A time comes when we cannot remove them! A mask worn long enough becomes your true face. A mask you are wearing often hides your flaws but also hides your beauty! Behind every mask, there is a story waiting to be told.
We’ve become masters of disguise wearing masks to shield our vulnerabilities and present a carefully curated version of ourselves to the world. But what lies beneath these masks? Why do we feel compelled to wear them? Emotional masks are the invisible shields we use to protect our inner selves from the outside world. They’re the smiles we put on when we are hurt, the stoic expressions we maintain in the face of adversity, and the calm demeanour we project when we’re screaming inside.
Don’t judge the book by its cover! Don’t judge a person by the mask he wears! Behind every mask, there is a vulnerable heart longing for connection. Masks are a prison! People often don’t change – the mask just falls off.
Wearing a mask wears you out! The radiant mask of happiness, the cool facade of indifference, or the stoic mask of sorrow, these serve as a buffer between the inner self and the outside world. Often it’s okay not to be okay! Often life is just tough. You are mentally fried! You are taught to hide distress – smile and get going! The truth is – not being okay is OK! But it’s not okay to stay that way.
And behind the Smile is Teeth of course! A genuine smile is involuntary! Laughter is often described as the best medicine!
Behind my smile is a breaking heart!
Behind my laugh- I’m falling apart.
Behind my eyes are tears at night
Behind my body is a soul at fight.
Start your day with a smile, greet others, and face challenges with a smile! Smile is the way to solve many problems! Combine it with Silence – it resolves many conflicts. Silence is a Listening Tool! Light self-deprecation makes mistakes less scary and more human. Humour causes smile. Comedy cusses Laughter.
Smiling is personal. Laughing is public! Smile and smile more often!
Smile at others! The smile you give is the smile you get back! But, Laugh at yourself – all laugh with you…never at you. Never allow yourself to be laughed at! To laugh at others is inhuman! The secret to living well and living longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love infinitely.
Life is short, Break the Rules. Forget and forgive! Kiss slowly! Love truly! Laugh uncontrollably! Never regret anything that once brought a smile! “Keep smiling – it is contagious! The world smiles with you! A smiling heart never breaks down! You may have hundred reasons to cry –show that you have a thousand reasons to smile.
Silence and smile are two powerful tools. Smile solves many problems and silence prevents many problems. Silence is a powerful way to reflect, listen, and understand, while a smile conveys warmth, positivity, and kindness. When truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a lie. Listen to silence! It can be deafening!
There may be hundred lies behind a smile! Still smile! There may not be a single truth behind a tear! Don’t cry! It’s fun to see people’s reactions when I smile at them and they were not expecting it. Some blush, and others are surprised and smile back.
Be pleased! Always take your smile with you.