My family’s smiles are unique to one another. My sister’s smile is shown more often than not, contagious and accompanied with laughter that echoes throughout the house. My dad’s smiles are rare and rewarding to pull out of him. Even my dog’s peppy smile welcomes us as we walk through the door everyday. My smiles aren’t always genuine, but when my mom smiles they’re as real as they can get.
Her smiles are so real. Realer than words can describe, like a fountain of emotion and endearment pouring out of her face every time the corners of her mouth perk up. Her thin lips reveal her perfect white teeth and the lights bounce off of them as they illuminate the room. A simple smile that conveys such heavy happiness. Making my mom smile is like making a baby laugh in the sense that it’s impossible to not smile with her. The first smile that I ever laid eyes on. The smile that helped raise 5 children and just as many grandchildren. The smile that takes me to another world where life is bliss and problems don’t exist. My mother’s smile.