The Mona Lisa Smile

What did Emily learn from the most famous smile in the world?

It is the most famous smile in the world.” Ms Markall noticed Emily’s hand raise. “Yes?”

“I’ve been looking at all the people staring at her. Why aren’t any smiling back?”

Ms Markall hadn’t been teaching for 17 years for nothing. “There are different kinds of smiles. This isn’t the smiling back friendly kind. It’s provocative, a smile of mystery.”

Emily wasn’t sure what provocative meant but she knew about mysteries. Detectives solved them on TV. “Was the Mona Lisa a detective?” she asked.

That made Ms Henry smile. “Perhaps. That’s why her smile is a mystery. We don’t know why she is smiling that way. It's a secret smile.” She turned, motioning her group of students to move on.

Emily's mouth twitched in an attempt to smile like the Mona Lisa. People who caught her eye didn’t smile. One man gave an embarrassed smile before checking his fly to make sure it wasn’t undone. “Well, at least that was a response.”

She practiced the Mona Lisa smile again, this time shaking her head at two men arguing over Van Gogh’s Starry Night. They stopped fussing. Their smiles were apologetic.

“Oops. Where did Ms Markall and the class go?” Emily’s secret smile turned into a frustrated one. The lady in front of a Van Dyke stopped writing notes, smiled back and pointed to the next room.

Emily smiled back a thank you smile.

When she caught up with Ms Markall her teacher had a worried smile on her face. It hit Emily right between the eyes. “Sorry,” she mouthed and Ms Markal’s smile crinkled into one that looked relieved. Good. Smiles could sure talk even when there was really nothing to smile about.

Emily may not have learned much about artists and paintings, but Ms Markall’s outing had sure taught her a lot about smiling. “What are you smiling about, sweetheart?” Her mother asked when she got home.

Emily gave her mom her new Mona Lisa smile before replying, “I learned a secret today from a painting. Smiles can talk.”

“Well, I couldn't figure out what you were smiling about. it was such a strange and beautiful secret smile, honey. Glad you had a good day.," and her mom gave out a little nervous laugh.

Emily knew she had gotten the Mona Lisa smile down just right.