People ask me why I smile. I usually say, “I can’t help it,” or “That’s just me.” However, I smile because sometimes I want to curse. I want to tell people off in ungodly ways. I smile because sometimes I am nervous and don’t know how to articulate my feelings. It becomes my natural defense to ease the anxiety I am feeling in my body. I smile because I was never taught how to address a situation without screaming or yelling, so I don’t want to cause a scene. I smile because a thought pops into my head that I know I shouldn’t say out loud, so I tell it to myself, making myself smile. I smile because I don’t know what else to do other than to put on a mask and be happy, to mask my feelings, to cover up my thoughts, to ease my pain, to be someone who lowers the tension. After all, who will get angry, be offended, or say something negative about a smile? So, if you want to know why I smile, it may be a litany of reasons, so you tell me why you think I am smiling because most times, I honestly don’t know.