Nehemiah Rong
We were taught that those who smile much are friendly people. A smile gives a sense of joy and delight to everyone. It is good to smile. The power of smile is immense and indeed, it is a precious gift to humankind. Some are blessed naturally while for the others, it can be cultivated through constant practice. Among those smiles, what if some smiles turn out to harm you rather than comfort you? It is our inborn intention that we tend to believe people who give us a broad smile and speak well to us. Nevertheless, let me examine as to how far what we perceive to be friendly smiles have turned out to be at the end.
Let us begin with the story of young lovers. When a boy meets a girl, he thinks she is the one for him and vice versa. They smile to each other. A smile is cute. It is comforting at first sight. They become a cute thing of each other. By the dictionary’s definition the word ‘cute’ means attractive, sweet, clever and ingenious. The smile is attractive, sweet too. When the last letter is removed from the word cute, it turns into cut. When the relationship splits, a cute thing cut the hearts of both the lovers. Once the expression like ‘my heart will go on’ ends up in ‘my heart will never get along with you’. Once cute smiles that give a comfort now turn into an anger that cuts the heart into pieces. Once a man promises you a rose garden, now runs away with a new girl. Once a girl promises you of undying love, runs away with a more handsome man than you. The smile once you trusted and treasured so much, deep and worthy now turn into treachery. It leaves you alone. Once the person you loved so much now turned into a person you hate the most.
In the game of business life, it is also worth pondering about how far the smile and promises take us. When a new business man set out for his fortunes he meets a man who seems to be very good, promising and friendly. One of them who is obviously the experienced crooked person taking the advantage of the simplicity of his new business partner promises to make him a crorepati. After so many smiles in the first undertaking, this cruel experienced businessperson decamps with all the capital and profits they have invested for the undertaking leaving his partner in bankruptcy. As the song goes, ‘run away train never comes back’. This run away friend who promised to make him a crorepati never came back. The poor fellow had to suffer to ignominy of repaying all the debts alone for the wrong trust that he put on those promises and SMILES.
What is the profit of the sacrifice that you have put for some one who never learns the value of it? You spend your resources, time, and energy for the welfare of such people. You may lend out extras from your own pocket for them. In spite of your tireless effort, repeatedly some of them still try to pull you down. They may seem to be very good to you in the outside world. They can give you a plastic smile that they brought from the ‘Cheap Market’.
However, they may still try to accuse you for the no fault done by you. They may do this because of misinformation that they gather about you from others or may be due to jealousy they have on you. It may be a difficult battle to fight on because it is not a direct declared war. Here it is mentioned that it is not a direct declare war because they are so good to you when you meet them, they will never speak even a bad word about you when you talk to them. But when they are once out from you they will try to pierce a dagger on you. You may or may never be able to determine who these people are. They may be in the midst of your good friends or in the midst of your enemies.
You may be the leader of the society, once the public gives you applause, handshakes, and hugs for your services to them. You may be the one who receives broad smiles of the public when you deliver your stirring speeches. However, what if those public who once give you applause, hugs and smile turn to condemn you and criticize you based on false accusations. Here rivals can be your good friend or your worst enemy. Will you stop sailing your ship on? Or will you continue you sailing business? When you are right and they are wrong but you are somehow overpowered by the majority of the wrongs, will you carry on or give up?
A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Beauty is skin deep. What good is outer beauty without inner beauty? Yes, a thing of beauty is a joy forever when you are a person of substance. The marriage of some people in the Hollywood realm is too cheap and too easy. The husband and wife like and love each other for a few hours and start to dislike after few days or week. Then they split. No doubt before their marriage everything is so cute. After the split, the cuteness is lost in the world of temporaries. The momentary impressiveness is not the finality of the thing. Beautiful appearance outside is impressive and when it is tagged with kindness and mercy inside. It becomes more enduringly admirable and trustworthy.
There are stories of cheats in business, split lovers, condemned leaders and broken friendships. Amidst the treacherous smile or whatever, you are to stand in the middle of it to discern properly and carry on your sailing works until you reach a destiny. Moreover, there are smiles that we cannot deny when it is sincere and return with action of love and concern. It is also too good to deny the sweetness of those sincere smiles. It heals comforts, brightens up, and alleviates the mind. Hope for better tomorrow if your today is not your day. Even if you are tricked, cheated, or played down, hold on. Who knows you may be a winner tomorrow. Smile All The While.
