When I look at the wrinkles of older people, I always pay attention to the ones that really stand out; the ones that have been created through the repetition of the same facial expression. My favourite ones are the smiling ones that are found on the cheeks and near the outer corners of the eyes. Since I will end up with wrinkles, I know that those are the ones I want.
So, I’ve been trying to smile as much as possible. It’s not always easy to do. Sometimes, when I’m in a grouchy mood, it takes a humongous effort for me to even get a quarter of a smile, as though my cheek muscles were in need of some kind of muscle rub to get moving. The funny thing is, when I do get my cheek muscles working, I feel better.
If I’m jogging or walking, whenever I make eye contact with someone, I smile. Sometimes, they return the smile, other times they don’t. We live in such a world of paranoia that when you smile at someone, they will sometimes look back to see if you’re smiling at someone else or they’ll simply ignore you, probably wondering if you suffer from some kind of mental disorder.
Smiling is such a simple gesture, yet it could have such an impact on your mood and that of others. Smiling is contagious and brings on positive feelings. When I force my smile, it often feels like a fake grin at the beginning, but with persistence, it always ends up lifting my spirit, even if just a little bit.
“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. ” Mother Theresa
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