Smile! It Gives Your Face Something to Do!

Smile!  It Gives Your Face Something to Do! 

I absolutely, with no doubt whatsoever, love people who can always find a reason to smile!  People who smile just light up the world!  Don’t cha think?  How much time does it take to smile at the people you pass on the street or in the store?  Does it really take that long to smile at that person with the big frown, the one that you can see isn’t having a great day?  Not long, I’m sure.  Just that one little smile can go a very long way.  Doesn’t it make you feel good when some stranger you’ve never seen before gives you a big ‘ole smile?  Conversely, a big smile makes everything brighter and you think, “Oh, they seem so nice!”  As Steve Maraboli said, “It only takes a split second to smile and forget, yet to someone that needs it, it can last a lifetime.”  I believe that no truer words have ever been spoken! 

One weekend, my family and I were down in Hollywood at the El Capitan Theater to see a movie.  My brother, sisters, and I were all excited to see the film; we couldn’t wait to eat the goodies from the snack bar.  You see, we are especially fond of the buttered popcorn and the sodas; we don’t get those at home!  Well, we were all out front of the theatre waiting to go inside and take our seats; we weren’t really paying attention to much, except for ourselves, just kind of goofing around.  The sidewalks were full of people wandering around looking into the shops before the movie, trying to find that “special” souvenir.  Everyone seemed to be involved in their own personal dramas, with little thought of much else.   

I was feeling especially happy; but then, all of the sudden, I had an odd sensation.  I felt a sadness as I looked up and into the face of an old man.  He was shuffling down the sidewalk; he appeared to have something wrong with his foot, because he was limping.  He carried a bag with all kinds of things poking out; it looked like he had a sleeping bag, too.  His clothes were dirty and ragged and the expression on his face looked downcast and melancholy.  As I looked around me, it appeared that the other people that saw him either were looking away, or kept their eyes down at the ground.  No one seemed to want to look at him.  I remember having a sick feeling inside my tummy, thinking how I would feel if no one wanted to look at me.  I know I would feel lonely, I can tell you that!

Well, I decided right there and then; I shouldn’t, I wouldn’t, I couldn’t, ignore him like everyone else.  As I walked by him, I looked right up into his eyes, smiled my best smile, and gave him a bright, joyful, hello!  Well, can you guess what happened?  I could actually see his eyes light up and he returned to me a magnificent smile, it lit up his face.  It made me feel all warm inside because I knew, absolutely and positively, that I had made a difference in someone else’s life! 

Our world would be a much more pleasant place if people would show those teeth of theirs a little more often!  So, when you have nothing better to do, remember to smile, because “it gives your face something to do.”  My grandma had a picture on the wall in her bedroom that said this and it made me smile when I was little.  She gave it to me and now it hangs in my room.  Always remember, until you have that really dreadful day, you will never really know what a huge impact just one big, blinding smile can make!  Make that difference today!

Lemons & Smiles

Lemons & Smiles

             “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”  This simple quotation by Dale Carnegie, I believe, is actually one that can be life changing.  Making the best of what we have and not dwelling on what might have been, or should have been, or even could have been, will set us on the path to fulfilling our potential.  The simple truth is that, whatever it is that you have, that is all that you have.  You must work with it, or fail, because you have nothing else!  Wishing for something different will not change the facts of the situation.

                We all know those that continuously whine when circumstances aren’t exactly as they envisage.  Nothing is ever their fault; it is always someone else that is to blame.  Do you notice anything else that these individuals have in common; yes, that’s it; they are almost universally, failures.  Everything must be exceptional, that extraordinary job, that phenomenal person, the perfect conclusion; nothing else will do, and consequentially, nothing is ever accomplished.

This quote seems to tie in with, “It is what it is.”  Now, this just happens to be my momma’s favorite saying, she has probably said this at least once a week for my entire life.  Of course, I listened, well halfway anyway, mostly I just smiled.  Well, guess what; one day, something changed. 

When I was about eleven years old, I would always get this terrible, agonizing pain in my knee whenever I played soccer.  At first, I just wore a knee brace, hoping that it would help, and for a while, it did.  It never completely freed me from my pain, but it was good enough for me to play again.  Since the pain kept coming back my parents took me to all kinds of doctors and specialists, but nothing, and no one, seemed to help.  I was terrified that I would never be able to play again, but I realized that there was nothing I could do about it.  It was what it was.  Fortunately, after four years, I found out what was really wrong; part of my knee was out of place.  This amazing lady  pushed back into place for me and told me that I wouldn’t be able to play for two months; I would have to go through therapy.  Of course, it was upsetting, but what could I do?  I just had to look at the bright side and realize that I would be back out on the field in no time.  

“Making lemonade,” making the best of any situation, this is what makes one person able to succeed and another to suffer nothing but continuous failure.  Taking a disappointment, turning it into a challenge, this keeps us always striving to be our best.  It makes us learn to depend upon ourselves and come to the realization that we can do it!  We learn new strategies, gain new insights; in other words, we determine to get it done, no matter what!  This teaches us to challenge life, not simply let it happen.

So, what is it that have I learned throughout my life?  Well, if momma or daddy comes home from the store with way to many lemons, don’t be distressed that they may rot and go to waste.  Squeeze them, make a lemon meringue pie, bake a cake, and use them all up!  Make lemonade!  It all starts with you.  You cannot expect others to do anything if you are not willing to do it yourself.  Set the example, work it out, and get on with life!