Cheerfulness
Keeps the mind and body flexible
November 25th 2011
When people know they are about to be photographed, they spontaneously smile. But often, immediately afterwards, their face becomes expressionless: their good mood and cheerfulness were only for show. Why do they do nothing to maintain this beneficial state within them, when it keeps the mind and the entire body supple and the face expressive? It seems they have unanimously decided to lose their suppleness, their youth: they are closed, fixed and tense. How can you love people like that? They are unbearable, and they become burdens to each other.
So many people, wanting to appear serious, have adopted the attitude most certain to destroy them! And yet they adore children; yes, because they see that children avoid this mind-set: they feel free, they play, they laugh, they are simple, they are supple; if they fall, they pick themselves up and carry on playing. Whereas, if one of these adults with such a serious, closed expression falls down just the once, that’s it; they can’t get back on their feet. To be able to, they would have had to remain supple by learning to smile and be cheerful.