One of the many nice surprises I discovered on becoming a father was the joy I get when seeing my children smile. Children's smiles give parents, for at least a fleeting moment, the knowledge that the kids are happy and they must be doing something right.
If you're a parent, you've seen at least three different smiles. There's the "smile for the picture" smile, which is nice. Then the "Yay, pizza for dinner" smile. But, there's also the "Smile with Happiness, Uncontrolled Excitement and Interaction," or the SHUEI. The SHUEI (pronounced shoe-e, or schway, if you prefer) is usually accompanied by never before seen hand, arm, leg and body motions. Often, shrieks, laughter, running, yelling, jumping, hugging, and squatting are prevalent. Without supervision, injuries can occur. That's the biggest, best and most genuine smile. It comes from deep within.
My nine-year old still has a strong SHUEI and my five-year old is quite good at it. The sad thing is, you don't see many teenagers implementing the SHUEI. I can't remember the last time I had a good ol' SHUEI. Before it becomes a thing of the past, I have to get it on video.
I will miss it.
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