I Wanna Smile With Somebody

Mike Ditka the dog releases that even gets Clint’s frown upside down

Mike Ditka and I were coming back from the park. I was driving. He was in the backseat. We call this our Star Wars X-Wing formation. I pretend to be a Jedi who is also an amazing pilot. He pretends to be quick-witted astro-mech droid. Anyway, it had been a difficult day. During our time at the park, we walked in silence processing it all. No way did I imagine this little bit of cosmic role play would lighten the mood. Yet when a certain Whitney Houston song about dancing with somebody came on, I saw Mike legitimately smiling. Soon I was too. It didn’t make everything better, but it did make that moment better.

More often than not, the tiniest gifts matter more than we’d ever think. Eye contact, genuine compliments, high-fives, silly handshakes, ill-advised puns, and most of all smiles can make tremendous differences in other people’s days.

I may be mistaken, but I think generally we all want to be authentic. This can make faking a smile not only difficult but also feel dishonest. At times like these, I like to think about the greatest space flight pioneer who does not get enough attention. That’s right, I am talking about Ham the Astrochimp, who on January 31, 1961 flew a suborbital flight as part of the USA’s space program. There is a ridiculously cute picture of Ham holding a newspaper that reads “SPACE CHIMP LIVES.” He appears to be smiling jovially. In fact, you can look up pictures of Ham on the internet, and you will see lots of pictures of Ham with what appears to be a big smile on his face. Though seeing Ham’s smile may bring a smile to your face and maybe even a little joy to your heart, it may not have been joy that Ham was feeling. When chimpanzees pull back their lips to show their top and bottom teeth in what we perceive as a smile, they are actually performing a facial expression called a “fear grimace.” Ham’s space flight was no walk in the park. He was electrically shocked unnecessarily and experienced a painful amount of gravitational force. Ham may have been experiencing what we call in polite company the sensation of being ticked off. Without this knowledge though, humans often misinterpret a fear grimace as an expressive smile.

So, how can you honor Ham the Astrochimp and be authentic to yourself? When you and your co-workers, colleagues, clients, or friends are having a difficult time, and you just can’t muster a smile, flash your best fear grimace. Your fellow humans may interpret it as a smile, and you could lighten their day.

(Please note: if your co-workers, colleagues, clients, or friends are actual chimpanzees, do not smile and show your teeth. This could be interpreted as a threat. Of all the mistakes you may make in your life, threatening a chimp is one you will especially want to avoid.)