Mona Lisa Please Smile

Written By: Chappell Moore

Edited By: Jordan Ball

Not many people can say that they have had that once in a lifetime experience of visiting The Louvre. Upon landing in Paris a week ago I tell my group every minute of each day that I want to visit the famous museum. After the first day of saying this it is like beating a dead horse. Because visiting The Louvre when in Paris is a must. Today is an odd one. I cannot sit still in class while listening to the speakers. I am itching to get out and move about. Though their lectures are helpful to my career and give me knowledge about international challenges but all I can think about is her breathtaking smile.

The lectures for the day finally commence and my classmates and I briskly make our way to the Metro. We pull up to an underground mall under the Louvre. It is here were we purchase our tickets. Of course when in Paris you cannot pass up any opportunity to indulge in their couture. After shopping until we almost drop it is finally time. I immediately tell my fellow scholars in my bright voice “I want to see her.” After what seems like an eternity of searching, wrong turns, and dead ends we finally wise up and grab a map. This map brings us right to the section in the museum--her final resting place. Here her beauty awaits for me to lay my eyes upon her. Entering into the Denon, where she resides, I am taken a back by every piece of artwork that is placed on the wall, but nearly pass out when looking at the detailed paintings and architecture on the ceiling.

I turn many corners looking for her. Then in the distance I notice a multitude of people with cameras, pushing, trying to get to that perfect work of art. I race as if my life depends on it.  I look back to see if my group is still behind me but they are too far in the distance to even recognize faces. In my purse my phone seems to be hiding from me in my attempt to capture her in all her pulchritude. I'm thinking to myself, I must take as many pictures as I can before the battery light on my phone finally runs its race. The road to her seems endless. In my pursuit all of my home training leaves me. I knock over a group of little Parisian students, a couple parents, and a few innocent bystanders.

As I get closer I oddly notice that she stands still just watching everyone watch her. She has no smile, no expression, and not even a smirk. It is as if the other parts of the museum stand silent and all the attention is placed on her. In the mad dash and in lieu of my dying phone I get my pictures then quickly shuffle away.

Mr. Frederick Bernard says “a picture is worth a thousand words.” In this instance I have to say he is wrong because after seeing how Mona Lisa’s presence and beauty moves multitudes of people I am left speechless.