Smiles, smiles, there are all kinds of smiles.
You can see this in the collage.
Can you detect the smile of the model?
The actor?
The ordinary person obliging before someone’s camera?
How about the irrespresible spontaneous smile erupting in exhuberant laughter or beaming all over the face or shining out from the eyes?
What makes you smile that way? What stirs your heart, brings light into your eyes, and ends up curving your lips without your bidding?
Here’s a challenge for you this week: Pay attention, and try to catch yourself smiling that way, and determine what has brought it on. You might be surprised. It might be a seemingly small thing. If you keep a journal or daily lists, note down your smile and its trigger. And consider what truly delights your heart.
Then make an effort to get yourself more often in company with what brings out that good and heart-deep smile.
Smiles to you this week!
*****
Previous posts in this series:
Day 1 Collage and 31-Days Introduction
Day 2 Collage: Nothing-But-Junk Fish
Day 3 Collage: What Grabs Your Heart?
Day 4 Collage: Why I Chose to do this 31 Days–Really
Day 5 Collages: On Being Transparent
Day 6 Collage: Salute to Birds and Dragonflies
Day 7 Collage: Got it Made in the Shade
Collage Day 8: Three Good Children’s Books to Inform Our Lives
Such a wonderful assortment of smiles. I love the no front teeth. My first grade photo is of me with a big smile and no front teeth. So cool.
I love that, too, Hazel. The un-self-consciousness of little children is delightful. If we could only learn to be like that, too!
Well, I am preparing to teach behavioral analysis and have the students observe antecedent , behavior and consequence….so beside looking for the trigger of smiling, you might want to look for what comes after also. A quote my mom said all the time was if you meet a man without a smile –give him yours… It works!
Yes! I did an experiment once a long time ago, when visiting back home. Behavior toward strangers on the street at that time was generally aloof, New-England-ish. People would pass by each other without a word or glance. So I decided to find out what would happen if I would smile at each person I passed (and maybe say hello, I don’t remember that part now.) Almost every person broke out in a surprised but happy smile! It seemed like it kind of made their day. So there’s an experiment for your students…
I can see why you enjoy teaching!
Oh, Laurie! Just LOVE your mom’s quote: “If you meet a man without a smile – give him yours.” 🙂