In Search of . . . Face Value
By Diane Williams Breton
I don't get to hide behind my smile, it's invisible.
What God left out in facial expression, he added in heart.
Remember appearances may deceive.
Please excuse my face, I had to borrow it for the occasion - life.
If you're not smiling with me, you should be,
I need all the smiles I can get.
I would if I could but I can't.
You'll have to smile for both of us.
I may not know why I was made this way, but it could have been worse.
Please don't take my smile at face value.
If you think I can't smile, you don't know me well enough.
Being different may be my only saving grace.
So what if I can't smile, you can't not smile like me either!
Being able to smile would sure make things easier,
(but not necessarily better.)
If you can't see what I mean in my face,
listening is the next best thing.
You may have to listen more closely,
my face does not tell the whole story.
Please forgive me for not smiling.
I'm smiling, why aren't you?
Being me, means accepting all of me.
Vive la difference!
Smiling is a state of mind.
To those who don't know me -
my face may be a mask;
To those who do -
it may be a small impediment in communication;
To those who know me best -
it's my most unique feature.
Believe me, I'm smiling.
I am smiling, you're not looking hard enough.
What God left out in facial expression, he added in heart.
Remember appearances may deceive.
Please excuse my face, I had to borrow it for the occasion - life.
If you're not smiling with me, you should be,
I need all the smiles I can get.
I would if I could but I can't.
You'll have to smile for both of us.
I may not know why I was made this way, but it could have been worse.
Please don't take my smile at face value.
If you think I can't smile, you don't know me well enough.
Being different may be my only saving grace.
So what if I can't smile, you can't not smile like me either!
Being able to smile would sure make things easier,
(but not necessarily better.)
If you can't see what I mean in my face,
listening is the next best thing.
You may have to listen more closely,
my face does not tell the whole story.
Please forgive me for not smiling.
I'm smiling, why aren't you?
Being me, means accepting all of me.
Vive la difference!
Smiling is a state of mind.
To those who don't know me -
my face may be a mask;
To those who do -
it may be a small impediment in communication;
To those who know me best -
it's my most unique feature.
Believe me, I'm smiling.
I am smiling, you're not looking hard enough.
© 1985 Diane Williams Breton
Published in Goldblatt, D. & Williams(Breton), D. (1986). "I Am Smiling: Mobius Syndrome Inside and Out". Journal of Child Neurology, 1(1), 71-78.
I would like to hear from anyone interested in Moebius Syndrome. The article that I co-authored includes my experiences growing up with Moebius Syndrome. I hadn't met anyone else with it when the article was written, but since then I have had the privilege of meeting many wonderful people. Now there is the Moebius Syndrome Foundation and a newsletter to offer support to those affected by this syndrome. Please feel free to contact me at my email address: hilltop2200@yahoo.com .
Sincerely, Diane Breton
