For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for March 03, 2017

what’re neighbors for?

That was very nice, Elly…

Women and girls are constantly being ordered to smile—often by complete strangers. My daughter hates being told to smile with a passion. Not that Gayle has much to smile about. Comparing Gayle’s face in panel 1 to her face in panel 4, it looks like Elly braided her hair back so tightly that it squeezed her head in to make it narrower. Like many of my friends who have had makeovers, Gayle looked better before than after.

Just the “mothering” she needed. Good on you Elly.

I think a smile is better than a ton of make up.

James, that is so sad. Is telling a man to smile microaggression, too? A smart woman friend I had at work a few years ago had a wonderful saying: if somebody doesn’t have a smile, give them one. Moods truly are contagious, and smiling helps convince yourself that it will be okay.

So true about the smile. I do photography and a smile makes the difference.

Good advice, Elly!

I try to smile at people. Most folks will smile back, and some even nod and acknowledge my silent greeting.

to James, and others – There is a big difference between telling someone to smile and engaging a person in a conversation or activity which encourages them to smile.

Way to go, Elly.

I once overheard by a guy who saw two smiling young people, and snarled, “What are you smilin’ for?” Cheerful guy. Real sweetheart. If he saw someone passed out on the street, he’d call 911 as soon as he finished taking the guy’s wallet.

I just realized James must be a professional troll.You have to be a special kind of person to be able to take a warm and fuzzy comic strip like this about somebody making a sad kid feel better, and twist it to take a jab at people who’ve nothing to do with the strip.Every day, I see his ‘alternative facts’ translation of the day’s Non Sequitur strip. I guess he was promoted to attacking Elly, too.(Gee, I wonder if the pay’s good. Does the job have a dental plan? Or are teeth considered a pre-existing condition? I never understand these things.)

Most of us nice, quiet, non-classically pretty (or un-pretty) females have low self-esteem. Even some of the more beautiful ones do if they didn’t receive love and encouragement growing up. It really helps when we are encouraged like Elly is doing for Gayle.

I’ll never forget the man who basically harassed me for not smiling while I worked a public office desk. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him I had literally just buried my only son. You never know what people are going through.