Life’s a mirror: if we smile,
Smiles come back to greet us;
If we’re frowning all the while,
Frowns forever meet us.”
The whole face is a part of our Expression—not only the eyes, but also the mouth, and the lines, which are largely under the ultimate control of the will, through the control of the muscles.
And there is the whole attitude of the body, the up-holding of the chest and the head, the correct curve of the spine (so as to bring the position of “mechanical advantage” and physical and nervous economy), the deepness and fulness and rhythm of the breathing, the laugh, the song (sung aloud or “sung silently”), and the tone and the “tune” and the timbre of the voice.
Uses of Odd Moments
What we seldom realise is that, no less than we can move our biceps, we can move our muscles that regulate our Expression. If people can spend 15 minutes daily over a dull—and often almost useless, if not actually stiffening and harmful—grinding series of spring-grip dumb-bell exercises, why will they not spend a few moments at some one time daily, or many (otherwise wasted or misused) moments at frequent intervals throughout the day, in exercising the muscles that regulate their Expression—in lifting up their heart (and chest and head) and in laughing or smiling, so as to keep happy?
Besides the Expression, as an easy avenue to Happiness, there is another—rather less easy—avenue in the improvement of the state of the Health in general, and the state of the Blood in particular, through more sensible Foods and Feeding, Drinks, Water-treatments, and Exercise and Exercises—especially Breathing.
Various Avenues to Better Health