Saturday Smiles - Do You Always Just Smile?!

Give them a reason to smile. :)
(Credit Unknown)

          In early June, I was returning home from Arkansas after photographing a friend’s wedding.  After taking my seat in the airplane, I noticed a military man seated across the isle and one row ahead of me.  From his seat, he could not see me from where he sat on the airplane, but randomly through the whole flight I noticed him lift himself up and peer over the seat top to look at me.  I felt slightly uncomfortable and I made a point not to look at him, but I could not help but notice this strange activity from out of the corner of my eye.  
          While preparing to leave the plane, he approached me emphatically said,
“Do you always just smile?!  I’ve been watching you ever since you got on the plane, and you are always smiling!”
I told him that in truth I had no idea that I had been smiling at all, but I make it such a habit to smile that I that it just came out naturally.  (What I did not tell him was that part of that smile was probably just a smirk at how funny he looked popping his head up over the seat to see me!) 
        We talked a little bit about how people just aren’t in the habit of smiling and so their smiles become rusty for lack of use.  However, if a person makes it habit to take out their smile and polish it everyday, putting it to good use, then it will come out naturally without any effort.  This type of smile can make a huge difference in the lives of those who are nearby - Just as it did in the life of this military man.


Smile!