What *is* a Smile?

January 24th is Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day! I was reflecting on what a smile is, and I wrote this piece….

“So, you were born with facial paralysis. So, you can’t smile?”

“I *can* smile.”

“What do you mean? Your face can’t move.”

“Yes, I know. But I can still let you know I’m smiling.”

“Look at my eyes. Watch how they light up when I’m happy!”

“Listen to my laugh. It’s infectious!”

“Hear my tone of voice when I talk. You can tell by my tone when I’m happy!”

“Feel my smile. You can *feel* it.”

“I may not be able to smile in the traditional sense, but I *can* still smile.”

Note: Even though I’ve had the smile surgery and can now smile in the “traditional” sense, all of that still applies! A smile is more than just your mouth moving.