A great deal is found online about the American proclivity for smiling. We are said to be the most smiling people on the planet. Indeed, smiley Americans can make the rest of the world suspicious and uncomfortable. Walmart, trying to start up in Germany, had to give up trying to get their German employees to smile.
But one report says that while there are 19 ways to smile, only 6 are the result of happiness. A smirk is not a real smile. It's also said that many millennials don't smile much because they are insecure about their less than perfect teeth. The TV commercials suggest we smile constantly, but is it because we've just succeeded in driving the new high-end car to the top of the mountain, or found the perfect lover online, or discovered a wonder diet, or had all the food in the world delivered right to our door? Pretty shallow stuff, that.
Another source suggests that years ago Americans smiled something like fifty times a day while now we smile less than twenty times a day. Perhaps the news of the day could have something to do with that smile decrease.
At the top of this post is the Angel City Chorale singing the 1982 song, Africa. The first part of the performance is wonderfully created by palm rubbing, finger snapping, lap slapping, foot stomping. Open up to full screen, turn the volume up and watch closely. You might want to hear/see it a second or third time.
But what's struck me, beyond the delight of the song itself, is the smiling joy of the chorale members. The happiness seems very fresh. And here's my prayer to accompany the song-video.
O God, may we find our smile again -
genuine and shared smiles,bust out, bright smiles,
shoulder to shoulder,
moving,
clapping,
rocking-rolling,
happy-to-meet-you,
to see you,
to know you,
to be with you,
smiles.
