There was a time in my life, where my smile was constant. Unwavering in its fully dimpled, uninhibited, human glory. Unapologetically beaming with happiness and not a care in the world about outside perception. There was also a time when I lost my true smile, during the majority of my twenties. I can remember one event in particular, a 21 years old in a photo. My smile beaming bright, before it would be then taken captive by insecurity and projected pliability from outside forces. My smile got lost in society’s expectations of what I should be. A deep need for validation of my self-worth from other people became 90 percent of what I was consumed in. My smile became a “smile”, something that was plastered on my face to hide what I was truly feeling. The true smile would come back in increments throughout the decade, but never enough for me to consciously notice it. I would look back at the photo of 21 year old me and think “where is he? where did that smile go?”

Years later at age 29, January 6, 2025: I would take a work bathroom-break at noon. As I washed my hands, I looked in the mirror and formed the brightest smile I had seen in almost a decade. “Oh my god, he’s finally back,” I thought. The toothy, shameless, unapologetic, self-loving smile returned after a near decade hiatus, I couldn’t be happier.

Love,

Blake C