“A merry heart does good like a medicine”. Proverbs 17:22

Well, quite a few days now, I’ve been trying to sort things out, from 100’s of miles away, for my Mom, who’s been unwell. A challenge ripe with worry, guilt, frustration and doubt. So, when I was sent a little note by a pastor friend of mine, I wasn’t in a “Don’t worry be happy,” mode. Anyway, he’d seen a television show about plastic surgery. People were getting face lifts, tummy tucks, enlargements of every kind, and all manner of procedures to look better. Seems everyone is wanting to enhance something and they’re willing to pay big money, (Ahh, there but for fortune). But there is one enhancement that money can’t buy – A SMILE. It’s amazing how much better people look when they smile. It takes years off their face and you don’t notice the wrinkles. A smile is guaranteed to improve your appearance. How often do YOU smile? Research has found that 4-year-old children smile and laugh about 400 times a day while for adults’ smiles and laughter decrease to only 14 times a day! (Geez, this week I’ve been in the minus category – but kept reading).

Putting a big smile on your face sends a message to your brain that things are — okay. Even a phony smile can work, (now we’re talking). So, – face the mirror – phony smile – oh! what was that, right afterwords? Wasn’t that just the littlest real smile creeping into your eyes? (well, yeah, I did look silly) If you are smiling, your brain responds with, “I must be happy.” You can jump start yourself into feeling good by smiling. As your mood improves, you open yourself to new possibilities. Always, keep some memories tucked away in your brain, that will bring a smile to your eyes (Mother thinking there was a person IN the ATM machine) 8=)

Ok, there is that danger – smiling can be contagious! Other people, seeing your smile will often smile back, and respond differently to you. Life is getting better because you smiled. A little lighter, and then what do you know, a glimmer of optimism and right on the heels of that, the creativity starts bubbling. (That IS encouraging.). Isn’t time you either infect someone or get infected by someone? (Absolutely, thanks Rev Mike!)