JUST RELAX

Just relax.  Well, not so fast.

Have you noticed that everyone has a secret relaxed face?  That's the face they have when no one is looking - when they are dreaming but not necessarily sleeping.  It's difficult to catch some people with this face on but if you're alert you can.

Some people are always talking so you just have to imagine what their relaxed face would look like.  It seems some people smile all the time and other people frown all the time.  Some people are very animated and others are very stoic.  Some have little smiles and others force a big smile.  No matter - they all have a relaxed face.

I think it becomes much easier to see the relaxed face on older folks.  I guess they've gotten tired of using those face muscles all through the years - and besides, they have lots of wrinkles to help us imagine.

The mouth is the best indicator.  I separate relaxed faces into two categories:  relaxed frowning and relaxed smiling.  The truth is - the relaxed smiling is not much of a smile but it is something better than a frown.  On the best relaxed smiling faces, the mouth is a straight line.  Most people relax into a frown.  The ends of their mouth drop down to their chins.  I guess they can't help it.

I, for one, intend to keep smiling as long as I can - even when no one is watching.  AND, just in case I get weary, I'm going to keep my mustache and goatee to cove up the frown lines.  Smile everyone!
*o*