the face of emotion

Emotions. They come from deep inside of us, bubbling to the surface in an endless variety of possibilities. They can be happy or sad, hopeful or despondent, changing quickly from one moment to the next. And as we age, we become experts at hiding them, sharing with our friends and neighbors, the strangers on the street, only what we want them to see.

Yet there are some moments that break through without effort. Like excitement, exhilaration, and surprise. Happiness, hopefulness, elation. Can you feel them? They vibrate so strongly from our core, they can't be contained. It's as if the joy bursting through must be revealed. "Look at me! Look at me!" it screams, and even if we say not one word, it shows on our faces, a mirror of emotion. The responsible adult transforms into the carefree child with just one smile. We can become that little girl on the carousel, like in El Rincon de Mela's picture below, spinning round and round, spirits high, buzzing with energy. You can hear it, right? The giggling with maybe a little high-pitched shriek bursting out unexpectedly when the speed picks up.

A few days ago, I caught my mom in just such a moment on a boat ride shortly after we left the dock. We were on our way to dinner, a setting sun in the distance, when my father opened up the throttle. Our conversation paused as the boat jumped forward, the wind catching our hair, and for a split-second, my mom's face lit up like that young girl on the merry-go-round, shining with happiness, laughter breaking through in a candid moment of unexpected animation. What accidental emotions have you captured lately?

holly {soupatraveler}



201/365 Pandora ... by El Rincon de Mela