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125
Izrplays
Student @ Uniabuja
Student @ Uniabuja
Look Closer
<p>They smile with all their teeth.</p><p><br/></p><p>That's how you know it's hiding something.</p><p><br/></p><p>When a child is truly happy, they laugh with their whole body. Their shoulders shake. Their eyes disappear.</p><p><br/></p><p>But when a child is hurting, they give you a neat, perfect smile. </p><p>A practiced one.</p><p><br/></p><p>They smile when they are hungry.</p><p>They smile when their mates laughed at their shoes.</p><p>They smile when mama and papa shouted all night and they didn't sleep.</p><p>They smile when the teacher asks, "Are you okay?" because they have learned that "I'm fine" makes the adults go away faster.</p><p><br/></p><p>Little children are small philosophers. They have already learned what took us years to learn:</p><p><br/></p><p>That if you cry too loud, they will call you troublesome.</p><p>That if you tell the truth, someone might be sad because of you.</p><p>So they carry their pain the way they carry too-big school bags - straps digging into their shoulders, but still smiling, still walking.</p><p><br/></p><p>They hide oceans behind dimples.</p><p><br/></p><p>If you look close, you will see it -</p><p>The smile reaches the mouth, but doesn't reach the eyes.</p><p>The laughter comes too quickly.</p><p>They say "I'm okay" before you even ask.</p><p><br/></p><p>So next time a little child gives you a brave, bright, too-perfect smile, don't just say "What a happy child."</p><p><br/></p><p>Kneel down. Meet their eyes. And whisper,</p><p>"You don't have to smile if you don't want to. I'm here."</p><p><br/></p><p>And watch how that ocean finally finds somewhere to go.</p>
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