Backseat inspiration

When Jared and I were dating, we had a recurring conversation about what body language - and particularly facial expressions - say about a person. We didn't focus so much on the facial expressions one makes while engaged in conversation or while knowingly under the watchful eye of someone else. No, our focus was on the language your face speaks when you aren't aware of anyone else even noticing.

You know, what do you look like when you're walking from one class to the next by yourself? What do you look like as you drive a long stretch of open highway? If someone popped in on you while you were, say, washing your hands in the bathroom...or watering your yard on your quiet street...or as you walked the mall, what could the someone tell about you by the way you were holding your face?

We named this face - the one you make when you think nobody's paying attention to you - your Default Face. And then we decided (only Theory by J&E...no scientific evidence whatsoever) that a person's Default Face gives away their true state-of-mind. Here's Jared's, at 2... I can't tell you how many times we'd say to each other, "hey, your Default Face is looking really mopey/angry/sad/etc....is everything okay?" Now, we just say some variant of "what the h*** is your problem today," but I digress. Here I am at 3... Yesterday, I was reminded of this three-year old conversation as I glanced back to check on Henry in the car. He was quietly looking out the window. His sweet, little face was all aglow - eyes sparkling with curiosity and life, mouth slightly open, cheeks flushed with excitement awaiting the next amazing thing that would fly by his moving room with a view, and the most subtle hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He looked happy. content. at peace. completely in love with his life. Now that's the kind of Default Face I want to see on my son forever and ever.

And, you know, that's the kind of thing that inspires me to eliminate stress from my life and to seek out the kind of Happiness that leaves me smiling when no one else is looking. Thank you, Henry, for that Tuesday afternoon, backseat inspiration. So, what do you think? What's your Default Face looking like these days?