A smiling face is an Earthlike star
The music to the one and only Stevie Wonder has often been a background to our family life, during happy times and sad. The title of this piece is the first line of a beautiful song on the album entitled ‘Fulfillingness’ First Finale’ (Tamla Records, 1974). Over the years I must have bought most of his albums, and despite having played them so often, they never fail to reach the spot. The melodies are always engaging; sometimes I just have to dance and at other times the thoughtful poetic lyrics make me want to relax and reflect on the power of his words.
In those far off days when I was a young teacher the whole class was expected to practise their handwriting skills once a week. I talked through each word as I wrote on the blackboard and waited for them to laboriously copy each line, before moving onto the next. I would often include a verse from one of my favourite songs and sing it to them afterwards. I chose a special phrase to put up on the wall near the door every week, in the hope of engendering positivity, not just for the children but for myself too. Some of the children enjoyed reading: ‘A smiling face is an Earthlike star’ aloud as they went outside to play. I like to think it brought some joy.
A few days ago, I went to The National Gallery to see an exhibition of work by the African -American artist, Kehinde Wiley. ‘Like past artists […] Wiley came to understand the power of […] images to shape and even define historical moments […] how the language of the old masters could assign status and fame. […] He decided to ‘help redress the imbalance of power […] and the involuntary inclusion of Black people as peripheral figures – servants, enslaved people [ …] in many historical paintings.’ (Kehinde Wiley at The National Gallery: The Prelude, (The National Gallery Company Ltd: distributed by Yale University Press)
It would take me far too long to write about the paintings and his short film on show, set in Norway and featuring a group of young Black people who went with him to make it. Seeing them in the snow, among the huge white mountains in an environment which was different to what one would expect conveyed many thoughts and references. Suffice to say it was a tenderly emotional experience, showing three of the performers smiling for many, many minutes, their mouths and eyes sometimes twitching as their smiles seemingly turning slowly into pain. That particular scene reminded me very much of ‘Maya Angelou: We Wear The Mask’, on YouTube. Do watch it if you’re not already familiar with it.
As an adult, I have realized over time that sometimes we smile when in fact our inner feelings are telling us something different. It can appear when we are embarrassed, or shy, or nervous: not knowing how to deal with a particular situation. It’s often said that those with the biggest smiles could be hiding inner pain. I have come across that a couple of times among people I have worked with.
Anyway on a more cheerful note, to quote Stevie, ‘Love within, you’ll begin smiling, There are brighter days ahead.’
Look after yourselves, everyone,
Anna x
In those far off days when I was a young teacher the whole class was expected to practise their handwriting skills once a week. I talked through each word as I wrote on the blackboard and waited for them to laboriously copy each line, before moving onto the next. I would often include a verse from one of my favourite songs and sing it to them afterwards. I chose a special phrase to put up on the wall near the door every week, in the hope of engendering positivity, not just for the children but for myself too. Some of the children enjoyed reading: ‘A smiling face is an Earthlike star’ aloud as they went outside to play. I like to think it brought some joy.
A few days ago, I went to The National Gallery to see an exhibition of work by the African -American artist, Kehinde Wiley. ‘Like past artists […] Wiley came to understand the power of […] images to shape and even define historical moments […] how the language of the old masters could assign status and fame. […] He decided to ‘help redress the imbalance of power […] and the involuntary inclusion of Black people as peripheral figures – servants, enslaved people [ …] in many historical paintings.’ (Kehinde Wiley at The National Gallery: The Prelude, (The National Gallery Company Ltd: distributed by Yale University Press)
It would take me far too long to write about the paintings and his short film on show, set in Norway and featuring a group of young Black people who went with him to make it. Seeing them in the snow, among the huge white mountains in an environment which was different to what one would expect conveyed many thoughts and references. Suffice to say it was a tenderly emotional experience, showing three of the performers smiling for many, many minutes, their mouths and eyes sometimes twitching as their smiles seemingly turning slowly into pain. That particular scene reminded me very much of ‘Maya Angelou: We Wear The Mask’, on YouTube. Do watch it if you’re not already familiar with it.
As an adult, I have realized over time that sometimes we smile when in fact our inner feelings are telling us something different. It can appear when we are embarrassed, or shy, or nervous: not knowing how to deal with a particular situation. It’s often said that those with the biggest smiles could be hiding inner pain. I have come across that a couple of times among people I have worked with.
Anyway on a more cheerful note, to quote Stevie, ‘Love within, you’ll begin smiling, There are brighter days ahead.’
Look after yourselves, everyone,
Anna x
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