Apr 13, 2012 - ST Forum
THE face is the most expressive part of the body, forming the
basis of our culture and emotions.
But something is very wrong with our faces. We have lost control
of a large part of it. Most of us have lost the ability to display
positive emotions - namely, smiling. When was the last time you
walked past a stranger smiling at you and you smiled back? When was
the last time you walked into a cramped train at rush hour and
smiled at someone?
In the MRT, the lift or even at the workplace, one sees faces
that are absent of smiles. The year I spent in Philadelphia, United
States, showed me the reverse.
People looked me in the eye and smiled. It demonstrated a
culture that was open, confident and most importantly, valued
equality. A smile tells someone we should be friends.
I am sure these values exist in Singapore.
Happier lives come not from earning more money or chasing that
degree; happiness comes from being more open, daring and doing
things just because it is fun. But to do that, we need to believe
that we will not be judged when we do something absolutely
wild.
It all just begins with a smile.
Koh Yau Luong
