Smile!

Good ol’ Mr. Webster defines the word smile as “a facial expression in which the eyes brighten and the corners of the mouth curve slightly upward and which expresses especially amusement, pleasure, approval or sometimes scorn.” Wikipedia reminds us that “smiles can communicate feelings as different as love or contempt, pride or submission, flirtatiousness or polite tolerance.”

In my book, a smile is just an amazing thing.

Baby’s first smile at her mother; that flirtatious grin from across the room; the smile as you see your bride for the first time; the look on your grandparents’ faces as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. It is the first thing we request the moment a camera is whipped out. We text the image to one another and email with it every day. :)

You all know how much I like reading blogs on the Internet. I recently came across a blog that follows the life of a young single mother who often has trouble finding things to smile about. She has begun to make a list for the days when she needs “her frown to turn upside down!” It has inspired me to start my own. Not every day is a happy one; sometimes you need a little reminder. I’m not the most positive person. I’m not a negative person ... it’s just that I instantly see both sides of the coin. I have been accused of bursting a bubble or two in my lifetime. Some days, I have a hard time finding something to smile about. It’s at those moments when I discover more things to add to my list.

I challenge you to begin your own list for the days when the sky is gray and you need a helping hand. These are some things that make me smile:
• Reading a good book. Then reading it again and again.
• Watching “Jeopardy” and getting most of the questions right.
• Terry bursting out into random song and, if I’m lucky, dance.
• Stalking around the house, imitating a T-Rex to make John smile.
• That first sip of coffee on a lazy Saturday morning.
• Country music and Lola. I swear that kid knows every song!