The Power of a Smile

If you wish to bring more beauty into this world with your smiles, not only does it feel good, it also forges a closer connection to others and creates a sense of well-being and happiness

- KIA SCHERR

‘Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.’

—Thich Nhat Hanh

I have learnt never to underesti-mate the power of a smile. Smiling is a sharing of positive energy—a simple sharing of your goodwill towards others and receiving their goodwill towards you. The sharing of smiles can take place even in the saddest of times. After my husband and daughter were killed, I thought I would never smile again, but so much love poured forth from around the world in the aftermath of the terrorist attack that I found myself smiling with appreciation for the compassion and loving support shared with me from people all over the world. I smiled in acknowledgement of the connection we all share as a world family. We don’t always feel this connection—sometimes quite the opposite—but it is there underneath the surface.

It is easy to take smiles for granted. Sometimes we smile out of habit without any real feeling behind it. We have all seen fake smiles—the mouth may be shaped like a smile, but the eyes tell the truth—it is not a real smile if there is no light in the eyes. When I do encounter that light in the eyes along with the smiling mouth, it lights up my day.

When you slow down, you may find yourself smiling more often, sometimes for no reason other than to be alive. Isn’t just being alive reason enough to smile? You won’t notice being alive if you are caught up in the rush and noise of life.