I have this thing that (sometimes) when I hear certain words or phrases a song lyric pops into my mind- maybe it’s something that everyone has? Anyway when this prompt popped up on my feed I immediately thought of the song ‘behind a painted smile’ that may not be the title but that’s the line that I thought of.
I was just talking about this with my Cousin the other day, we remembered that our Nan, who died years ago, whenever you saw her, even aged 86 just before she died, always had her eyebrows pencilled in and wore a bit of lippy. She wasn’t going out anywhere but that was her minimal ‘mask’ if you like.
I’m afraid to say I have developed the same habit and if nothing else I will always brush in my eyebrows- that are actually hardly there anymore and put on a bright bold lipstick.
We all wear a mask of some kind, either physical or in our attitude or personality. I admire people that wear just their fresh natural face and natural hair colour.
A smile can be a mask of how we are really feeling – that’s made me think of ‘the tears of a clown’. and so it goes….
Do we all wear a mask of some kind? and who do we unmask, if ever, for?
caryl beach MA 
Reminds me of my grandma. I can’t recall ever not thinking she was so beautiful. I still remember at her funeral, I was little, and my cousin and I wanted to touch her hand. We got up the courage and did it. We then went to the side and must have giggled at our accomplishment, because I remember getting yelled at by some other older person that it was rude to laugh at a funeral. Wow, the things you remember!
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That is a lovely memory and I bet your Grandma would have loved the sound of you both giggling.
Funerals these days are much more about celebrating a life rather than such a solemn and remote affair.
I wasn’t allowed to attend my Nan’s funeral- I was 9 at the time. I think children can go to funerals to say goodbye to their close relatives, but can understand it might be difficult for the gown ups to deal with them being there. Thank you for sharing your memory. 🙂
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Good stuff, my 84 year old Mum paints on her eyebrows, lips, eyeliner, the lot, she’s got a grey flash at the front of her hair like Cruella De Ville and years ago wore fur. She’s nice now, but going deaf! Bless her, the mask of not hearing too well allows all sorts of indiscrepencies in her world.
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Aah lovely memories…..it’s sad when our loved ones lose their hearing and sight…My Dad doesn’t hear the conversations when we are all together, so misses out on all the chatter. But he still enjoys seeing everyone. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
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Yes its a shame, when in a quiet setting she watches the lips to try and read them. I wish she’d admit she could do with an aid, it would help[ no end, change her life.
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I know that can be true of depression- through close friends- they can rally round briefly if they have to. It is good to have close friends who can see through the smile and be there for you. Take care 🙂
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Very well written and thought provoking!
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Thank you for commenting.
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My smile is my mask. When people find out I deal with depression and anxiety they often say, “You don’t act like you’re depressed!” My smile and sense of humour often mask what I’m really feeling.
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