The Smile: Two Meanings?

In my dealings with people (and my dealings with myself), I have come to realize that a smile can have two meanings. While I'm no expert on human behavior, I yearn for a discerning spirit as I interact with people. So here is what is bouncing around in my brain about The Smile.

The Smile's two meanings.

1.) It can denote the inner feelings of true happiness as a radiance of outward expression, or of loving expression towards others (friendliness). This is the one we are familiar with, the one we expect.

or....

2.) It can actually be an inner cry for help, disguised as a mask of sorts.

Picturing this, I just wonder how many times I have passed by a smiling face and mistook it for a playful countenance or The "I'm doing just great" Face... I wonder how many times I have passed by an opportunity to simply ask, "How are you doing?" from genuine concern. Something I have seen burst from these alleged "Mask-Wearers" is a pleasant surprise if they happen to be caught wearing the fake smile (used to cover up feelings of hurt) and have been asked how they really are doing. They don't expect to be discovered, but somehow deep down, I think they were yearning to be noticed and are happy someone saw beyond the lie. Remembering this, I wonder how many others have expected me to see the truth behind their mask, and were they upset if I missed it? Turning this on myself, I also wonder how many times have I put on this "mask" and expected others to see the truth behind it? 

This digs down into a deeper thought level... I think there could be different answers to this, but two I'm pondering at the moment are the duties of the "Mask-Wearer" and of the "Truth-Seeker". 

1.) If we are the "Mask-Wearer" (aka the ones wearing the fake smile to cover up pain), it is perfectly human to remove the mask and be ourselves. That is our duty. Masks are unhealthy for us and everyone around us because they conceal the truth. Something I have seen, too, is that if we wear the "mask" long enough, we boil over and eventually explode.

2.) What I'm about to write next has two points... If we are the "Truth-Seeker" (aka someone who has a gift in seeing beyond what is there, the gift of discernment), I think we should remember to "bear one another's burdens". On the other hand, I don't think it's our duty to save everyone wearing masks. We can ask by prayer what our role should be when interacting with these people.

In essence, whether we're the one wearing the mask or the one that sees beyond another's mask, I think our duties can be summed up to an old lesson. Maybe you heard it as a 1st grader sitting in Miss Betty's Sunday School class...

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

~The Golden Rule, taken from Luke 6:31

Hmmm, something to ponder. Any thoughts?

The Post-Flood Zone

Ever been in those situations where you are completely in the moment, caught up in what is happening, then when the sun sets and the day is done you think,

"That was exactly what I needed to do today.... And that was exactly the right place to be,"?

It has been like that in this post-flood cleanup these past few days. For example, today Sherri and I ran at the into Franklin in response to a church post giving the addresses of a few people calling for help. I felt we ended up being just where we needed to be. We ended up at at an older couple's home, and we worked a lot with the woman who was absolutely precious. I was humbled by her gentle spirit and her joyful smile.
My house was not damaged by the flood (which was a miracle considering I live in a valley and next to a creek), but meeting people like her makes me determined that if my house ever had damage like so many people are facing, I would need to be like her... still smiling and carrying on with life. It was evident she was tired, but that did not stop her from being positive. I learned something from Miss Elaine today.

I have also learned a lot from my grandparents and uncle through this... They are fighters. Their house got flooded close by Pinkerton Park, and a boat came to pick up my grandmother in the middle of the night during the flood. My grandfather wanted to stay at the house and as much as people tried to get him to leave, he insisted on staying in the attic with my uncle to stay away from the flood waters in the house. Helping them clean their house after the water left, I realized how much of survivors they are. A storm came their way and they rose to it. I am humbled by that in them and I have taken mental notes during the past few days. I love you, Nana, Paw Paw, and Tracy...