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Today's
quotation:
If a child smiles, if an adult smiles, that is
very important. If in
our daily
lives
we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not
only we, but everyone will
profit from it.
If we really know how to live, what better
way to start the
day
than with a smile? Our
smile affirms our awareness
and determination to live
in peace and
joy. The source of a
true smile
is an awakened mind.
Thich Nhat Hanh
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Today's
Meditation:
Smiles
are incredibly powerful, and they send a message
immediately that mere words can't express. When
someone smiles at me sincerely, we're sharing something
wonderful as long as the smile is sincere and without
malice. I like to smile, and I like to keep my eyes
and ears open for reasons to smile. I don't,
however, walk around with a smile permanently on my face--
smiles are another one of those things that if we
use them too much, if we use them insincerely, become much
less believable, much less trustworthy.
It's
fairly easy to find things to smile about, if we allow
ourselves to do so. If we focus on the things we
love, smiles are bound to come and they can benefit us
greatly. I've heard the argument "If you were
going through what I'm going through you wouldn't want to
smile," but my experience tells me that such a
perspective isn't a result of circumstances, but a choice
that the person is making to stay focused on the problems
and to ignore the blessings that are also all around them
in abundance. Life is simply too short to spend long
periods of time without smiling.
It's
really a shame how often smiles are misunderstood, or are
greeted with suspicion. It's understandable, though,
given how many people use smiles to try to manipulate
others. I just have to keep in mind that my smiles
that I share with other people won't always have the
effect that I want them to have-- but that shouldn't keep
me from sharing them.
I
especially like to trade smiles with kids. Their
smiles are so heart-warming and so loving that they can
make my heart melt, and they really like seeing adults
smile back at them and just enjoy their company. If
you want to add some sunshine to the world, share your
smile with others, and you'll love the sunshine that they
share with you when they smile back.
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For further
thought:
What
sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are
but trifles,
to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway,
the good they do
is inconceivable.
Joseph Addison
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