Eyes that speak

Have we been smiling less since we had begun to wear a mask?

Being masked for more than five months mean that we have had to rely more on our eyes to express our eagerness, happiness, sadness, and kindness.

It has been harder to detect people’s true moods as you cannot see whether there is a smile underneath the mask.  Is it not interesting how eyes have become the focal point and now we have realised how much the eyes can express.

You detect hesitation in the eyes and assurance all in the way the eyes move and focus.  It is harder to hide pain and sadness now but in the past a bright smile could have easily distracted.

Eyes can be overpowering, yet vulnerable.  The confident ones speak looking into the eyes.  However, in some cultures it is considered disrespectful to look into the eyes of the elders as we speak.  Yet, a person looking away while speaking is a sign of lack of confidence or can even be understood as hiding something.  Body language is reaching a new dimension at present because now people are told not to touch their faces at all.

The touching face could be a habit, automatic reflex, but according to psychologists, the gesture can be a self-soothing technique.  However, it is an established thought that touching the face especially the nose implies an indication of deception and covering up the mouth is a sign of lying.

According to study findings from researcher Robert Feldman at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, people meeting for the first time will lie to each other at a rate two or three times for every 10 minutes of the conversation.

How often have we replied in truth to the question, “How are you?”

For that matter how genuine are we with the question when we ask as, ‘How do you do?’ when we do not even bother to give the person enough time to think and answer.  If this question was genuine then we would have detected all the people suffering from depression.

The very reason the question has come about must have been to actually check on the other person, but now it is a mere courtesy.  It used to be even considered not so acceptable to talk about oneself let alone express one’s fears and thoughts.  During the pandemic era more and more mental health experts are recommending to ventilate our thoughts with a family member or friends and I would add - whom you can trust.

Having said so much about touching the face, it is a fact that one of the most relaxing techniques is to cup over your eyes with your palm – surely your eyes will sparkle.  Just make sure you have washed your hands well and you are at home.

As for ventilating find an anchor, or even better be the anchor for someone else.  With positive thoughts go on to beam!