Of Smiles & frowns
A quick toss up between a smile and a frown
Almost two years back, I attended a conference on Women Empowerment at the University, which was a real eye-opener, and taught me a lot of new things - ironically, not about Women Empowerment, but about the need and benefits of wearing a frown. Ya, you got it right. It sounds ridiculous but its true!
​
Like it always happens at such events, I met old forgotten friends, colleagues, and also made some nice new acquaintances. During the tea-break, I ran into a senior colleague of mine, whom I was meeting after almost 10 years. We exchanged pleasantries, but something was amiss. I kept observing her keenly for some moments, and by the time we finished our tea, I surmised that something was wrong with her. I approached her and voiced my concern, to which she told me that she was perfectly ok, and I could feel that she actually was ok. At the end of the day, we again had a chat. She told me that she was just wearing a frown instead of a smile which was why she seemingly looked upset and unhappy. But it was deliberate. She went on to enlighten me that smiling too much would make people take her for granted, and also make her look commonplace. She said that she was too senior to smile at everyone, and that accomplishment was proportionate to frowning… the bigger the achievement, the deeper the frown. But I could make out that the depth of her frown was proportionate to her fear of being regarded as ordinary. So, to stand out, she decided to wrinkle her forehead!
​
Her candid admission of this tact of hers to gain importance, helped me solve another mystery. I follow the social media posts of a cousin of mine, who is stinking rich as her husband is into coal business. Every time she posts pictures of a party, dressed in her most expensive gowns and diamonds, her frown is the first thing that catches my attention. I wish I could just edit the picture; curve her tightly pursed lips into a smile and erase the deep frown standing guard between her beautifully threaded brows. Thanks to the wise colleague of mine, I can now see the reason why my cousin allows her crinkled forehead to mar the glow of her expensive facial.
​
Such people believe that being uptight is in vogue! And what can be handier than a small self-made wrinkle on the forehead. Deep or shallow, on the forehead or in the eyebrows, on the nose or in the eyes… a frown is just classy! It makes you stand apart, and pushes people away, makes you inaccessible… and earns you awe. But they need to consider smile as a more preferable option to look extraordinary… that too in a charming way. A frown helps you put on airs! But a smile just wins you hearts, and it helps you live happier and longer!
​
I believe that be it a beaming smile or just a grin –it does wonders with my face. It automatically brings a twinkle to my eyes, and makes me look beautiful…and makes my aura magnetic!
Pooja Singal is an Assistant Professor of English, working for the Government of Haryana. Her interests include reading, writing, blogging, and content-creation . Her reading interests include: women-oriented works, human-relationships, and end-of-the-world literature. She shares her stories on https://chroniclescrush.blogspot.com/?m=1 under the pseudonym 'Parastish';