Writing Prompt: A Smile That Lasts


 A Smile That Lasts Is a Human Smile

A smile that lasts is a human smile. The innocent smile of a child, the smile of a person at the check-out counter (yes, I still like to see people), the smile of a caring human is a smile that lasts. Whether you remember the actual smile, or the imprint of the smile stays with you, a smile that lasts makes all the difference.

I walked my 10-year-old granddaughter to school this morning. We smiled on our faces and in our hearts as we talked about her birthday party later today and the things we will do together when my new house is finished early next year. 

 

Our lives are full of chatty AI, embedded technology, chatbots, and chat help desks. Some of the AI makes our lives faster and easier. Some we don’t even realize we are using. But the smiles are fading. On the telephone, I can even feel a smile when it is lifted on the other end of the line, but humans with their smiling voices are becoming less common.

 

I must admit I occasionally see a dog that I’m sure is smiling in admiration of its human companion. I love that! But nowhere is found the truly caring smile except in human beings. A smile that has no purpose besides training the face to lift rather than sag and to bring people together in the unique way that only a smile can.

An article from the British Academy blog, “When did humans start to smile?” gives us a poor attempt to make a case for how smiles evolved. 

“It is widely assumed that smiling is rooted in our evolutionary past and that there are similarities between human smiles and the silent bared teeth displays seen in primates. But human smiles signal amusement and enjoyment, whereas primate smiles – at least in many species – are believed to signal submission or appeasement…”

 

I believe smiles reflect an emotion that only humans can elicit. Since the purpose of the smile is for human enjoyment and connection, there is no evolutionary purpose for lifting our lips in joy. A loving creator with a sense of humor provided his creation with many reasons for joy and a unique expression their faces can convey.

 

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