Growing up people asked why I liked to smile the way I did. Upper gums visible, upper and lower teeth visible, cheekbones high and eyes almost squinting. So I thought it was bad to smile that way. I felt awkward every time I unconsciously smiled or laughed.
“Mira you, you’ll laugh and open all your teeth, ” my friends used to tell me in secondary school—I’m laughing as I remember this.
Then I made the mirror my home and began to practice How to Smile. I tried to smile without my teeth showing. I tried to smile and let only my upper teeth show while trying to avoid my gum from being visible. I even tried to smirk but ah! All these were a waste of time.
The awkward feeling even became worse when someone told me how big my nose became each time I smiled. The agony! Why?
Oh well, fast forward to six years later and I’m totally admiring my smile. Now I make sure I shine my teeth in my pictures so people can see how totally beautiful the smile Jesus gave me is. I embraced the flatness of my nose,
I’m African na! Jor o! I embraced how my cheeks rose, I embraced that this was my natural way of smiling, so it’s mine, and I love to smile that way.
People will always complain how this and that feature of yours looks terrible. It’s just up to you to feel sad about it or embrace it just as it is. Love it and let them see you loving it.
By Mirabelle Morah
