Smiling. Very soon, this reactionary element to our mood might be outlawed at our local Department of Motor Vehicle. I found article...http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/2009/05/26/20090526ODDno-smiles0526-ON.html, which talks about a need to create a "no smiling" policy while we are getting our photos taken for our drivers license.
What a strange change?
If you read the article, you will learn that our pictures are scanned to see if they match up with any pictures of us formerly taken by the DMV. This prevents people from getting multiple Driver's licenses and creating false identities. The loop hole is that our smiles prevent the pictures from matching up with former pictures.
This new policy makes sense, I guess, but it is kind of frustrating. I just like to have the right to smile, and it feels weird to be told not too. Seriously, have you ever had someone tell you not to smile? I have, and wow, I can't help but busting out in laughter and smiles. So, we will see if this actually work :)
In a similar, but different perspective, our emotions are a very curious case to take a look at. Often, we as humans put on a face, usually a nice one, when we are around people. We come into our homes, work, or even at the grocery store, and try to create within us a different attitude. We put on a face, to hide, often, whats really going on.
Often, this happens at church too. We come into a building to worship the creator of all things, and we pretend to be alright with a smile and a, "I'm ok" response to how we are doing. If there is any place that I would hope would be a place for authentic feelings and reflection, it would be at our worship services.
We follow a resurrected Christ who was filled with emotions, from joy and smiles, to pain, sorrow and grief. Our God faced all of the emotions within his life, and I wonder if we could not be more authentic within our communities when it comes to our emotions?
Grace and Peace,
Micah
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You are so right on! When I am at church and ask someone "How are you doing?", I really want to know or I wouldn't ask. How are you able to get to know-really know- someone if they are not open? I guess that's the Psychology Major in me coming out (though I haven't been in college since 1994)-see I listen at church! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd then sometimes I can be feeling down or have had a bad day or week.... and then I come to church and see someone smile and approach me and say "Hi, how are you?' and everything changes. All of a sudden I feel different. I am glad I came. I am glad someone took the time. I am smiling back! And I say I'm good. Because really I am. I'm amongst friends (family) who love me. I'm in God's house. I am where I need to be. And I'm smiling :) =] :] k.d.p.
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