Smile and Wave

"Smile and Wave, Just Smile and Wave" 

A friend of mine has been living by this motto pretty hard this past week and every time they say it, all I picture is the penguins from the 2005 film 'Madagascar'. Now in the case of the movie, the Penguins are smiling and waving because they are trying to appear as regular Penguins who aren't in the midst of digging a tunnel out of a New York zoo using plastic spoons left by the humans. In the case of my friend, they are also trying to hide something from onlookers but instead of hiding a devious escape plan, they are hiding how scared they are of failure. They are hiding the overwhelming grief they feel from the idea that they aren't meeting the standards set forth for them. They are hiding that it eats away at their mental well-being every time they hear their name whispered among those who are meant to be their peers.

 

I can understand and relate to this on so many levels. because often times it feels as though I am hiding myself. Sometimes it feels like the easiest route is just to "smile and wave" as if the problem doesn't exist. As if ignoring it will make it go away or hurt less. But chances are that it won't. In fact, it may very well make it worse. You may find that smiling and waving, keeping to yourself unless absolutely necessary, will result in more problems because suddenly you are un-sociable and a recluse. You turn into somebody that others may think is fake or a liar. 

To some extent you are.

But underneath it all, you are still you. And you are still scared and hurting.

Smiling and waving will only do you so much good.

Wybie had his smile sewn into place by the other mother in 'Coraline' but that didn't stop him from feeling the sadness of being stuck in that other world.

Your smile won't stop you from feeling that dread and sadness either.