Seventeen years ago, I was greeted by a group of warm smiles when I first came into this world; they were happy for my birth. In fact, my first memory is that of my mother smiling at me as she held me in her arms; she was happy for my existence. However, as I grew older I realized that a smile does not only symbolize happiness. It can be used to mean much more either positively or negatively. Most of us have experienced the superficial gesture of a smile. A smile isn’t always an expression of optimism. It isn’t always an expression of joy. It can mean much more. Take for once, the smile of a little child. I still recall the times when I would play with my mama’s make-up. (I would sneak into my parents’ bedroom and find my way to her dresser only moments later to be found with lipstick all over my face – looking like a clown ready for her performance.) But my mama never got mad at me despite the destruction of her precious makeup. It’s because I continued to greet her with a smile, unaware of the crime that I have done to her valuables. She knew that I was happy but she also knew that I was innocent. She knew that I was still in my own world isolated from reality. A child’s smile not only symbolizes genuine happiness but also purity and innocence. As we grow older our minds become more aware of reality. Therefore, our smiles start to mean different things. I once saw my grandparents’ wedding album. As they were getting ready for the wedding, each one of them showed an abundance of enthusiasm. My grandma seemed like she was the happiest woman as she smiled at the camera in her wedding dress. Likewise, my grandpa, wearing his suit, smiled like a proud little boy. Their smiles were full and honest. As I flipped through the pages of the album, one picture caught my eye – it was a picture of my grandparents as they recite their wedding vows to each other. The smiles on their faces looked different than the pictures I’v