Smile… that one simple thing that gives us the best feeling in the world. There’s nothing like making someone happy and seeing that smile… you never know if you have just changed someone’s life. But, what if it’s a smile to hide?

We always associate smiling with being happy but that’s not always the case. That’s the way with me. I smile, even if I am sad. Something inside says that I am not allow to be sad, no one is allowed to be, it’s my job to make others happy. Take their sadness and put it on myself… but I’m not allowed to be sad so where does it go?

Smile real nice. That’s it. Nice and wide, now. Make it genuine. Hide the hurt and the pain. Smile to fool. Smile to scare. Smile, smile, smile always smile, with a reason or without is doesn’t matter.

Why do people smile? Do they do it out of joy? Or is it to cover something darker? Like I said before, I smile even when I’m sad so I guess you could say that I smile to hide as well.

I smile to hide the twinge of jealousy as my friends ignore me and have fun with each other. Would it be so much to pick up a phone and ask if I want to go to the movies, shopping, or just for a ride. I might say, “I don’t want to go.” But at least you asked. That means the world.

I smile to hide the sadness of being alone. Don’t offer to join me… somehow I like being alone.

I smile to hide the fact that I’m alone. If you pass me sitting on a bench somewhere and see me smiling, maybe you think I’m waiting for someone or I see them coming along somewhere after you.

I smile when the voices in my head scream and tell me, “You’re bad. You’ve been a been girl.” I smile when they cut me down. I smile when they tell me I’m worthless.

I smile to disappear.

I smile to avoid those ever standing questions, “Are you okay?” “What’s there to smile at?” “Why are you smiling?”

I smile to ignore. I smile to be ignored.

Turning I walk away smiling, don’t ever forget the one thing I’ve been taught:

Don’t forget to smile.