A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities

 

A warrior is not the one who is defined by his victories. Definitely not the one who surrenders upon defeat. A true warrior is the one who, in the face of adversity, despite being outnumbered and out-weaponed, refuses to yield and, daringly, challenges his death with a proud smile! While a warrior challenging a certain death is often an epitome of greatness, what can we call the one who grins in the face of ambiguity? Is legend an appropriate word for that?

In this modern day and age, such legends are not in dearth. In fact, we can see them in our lives every day, especially in our reflection in the mirror. Their smiles not only have charm in them, but also hold a firm promise that silently whispers – We can do it!

Smile in Ambiguities

Ambiguity not only poses itself as vague, but it also invites different interpretations that further heat up its subjective nature. This causes confusion and conflicts, further magnifying the adversity. This ambiguity often crumbles most who carry it in a boat of fear, but some, whom I call legends, choose to carry this obscurity in a vehicle of a smile. They not only withstand the storm, but also secure their shore!

A smile is not just a facial expression, but an armor of confidence. When one faces a situation that demands bravery, a smile is often the source of breeding grit. Often starting from our lips, a smile sends ripples across the nerves, flanking the brain with a spark – not of fire, but of hope!

This hope is like sunlight that escapes the gloomy clouds of doubts, fear, and confusion, gradually bringing a moral clarity in the sky. Thus, the mind becomes calm, composed, and ready to sail through the ambiguity at the command of its captain – the smile!

 A smile is often witty in the face of a storm. It buys you the time needed to make a decision. A smile keeps even the ambiguous confused, evokes in subjectivity, a cusp of doubt, and makes even the disputed to self-contest. It often leaves your opponent without any clue about your thoughts. It stalls your foe, slows down time, gives you the space to think, which further brightens the clarity. The Great Muhammad Ali, amidst the chaotic trade of shots with the ever-scary George Foreman, with his smile, froze the mind of George for a moment, making him hesitate. This hesitation gave Ali the time needed to break the soul of poor George, thus winning the historic “The Rumble in the Jungle” boxing battle. That victory for Ali was a testament to his grinning heart!

While happiness comes at the end of a victory, a smile can sneak in throughout the process. This not only signifies courage, but also symbolize perseverance. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s life, from getting rejected by the Indian Air Force to become the Missile Man of India, and further becoming the Indian president, is a relentless trek through the hills and valleys of life, made possible only with his grinning attitude.

 Moreover, a smile attracts support. A grinning commander instills in the heart, a piece of faith that turns even cowards into warriors, forming a massive army. Buddha started his journey to spread peace in this chaotic world alone under a peepal tree. But his kindness, expressed through his smile, attracted thousands of followers to aid him in reducing the turbidity around the world.

A smile, which is a mark of joy, is also a scent of love that the wearer sprays around him, spreading its fragrance everywhere. Mother Teresa, with her grin, captured the hearts of the poor, giving them hope of love to battle their ailments and sufferings.

So, a smile is a proven vehicle to surf along the gloomy waves of ambiguity. However, modern society does not let everyone enjoy a ride on it!

Not all Smile in Ambiguity

The dearth of smiles should not be attributed to its dislike, but to how this modern world has redefined ambiguities. Society has tailored the narrative such that ambiguity is projected as a villain that must be defeated by the hero who can fit into their molds.

Society keeps coming up with predictable paths to eliminate ambiguity. But ambiguity is a sneaky river that can navigate through any terrain and still keep flowing. Thus, when it inevitably confronts the hero, the hero's predictable plan fails, bringing in frustration, fear, and hopelessness.

This hopelessness not only robs the hero of her smile but also lets the uncertainty consume her, thus making the molded hero into a staggering victim, about to fall into a deep trench of vagueness.

So, it is important to reorient this societal narrative progressively to cultivate more legends who grin in adversity rather than crave for predictability.

In this regard, a simple but powerful mantra can be effective: “Control only the controllable.” At first glance, it may look as if we should ignore uncertainty, but that is not true. On the contrary, it asks us to embrace the unpredictable and be prepared to face it by doing what we can do, with a smile on our face.

Great leaders and warriors like Rani Lakshmi bai, Nana Sahib, Kunwar Singh, and many others never expected such aggressive and bloody battles in the revolt of 1857, which is still one of the darkest rebellions in Indian history. But despite being out-resourced, they cleverly strategized and bravely battled, smirking in valor on the battlefield despite the uncertainty of survival, let alone victory.

Thus, a smile is not only a ship to sail through ambiguity, but also a puzzle that confuses illusions, a tool that challenges disputes, a seed of hope in the windy deserts, and a mask that not only shields from chaos, but also reflects the rays of love all around. To cultivate such a smile in people, we must re-narrate ambiguity as a part of life rather than to treat it as an anomaly. This will help us become legends who can face any adversity in our unpredictable lives with a grinning face by gently whispering to ourselves – we can face it all!

Legends! Don't be shy. Smile and comment your thoughts below.