Fellowship Fridays: The Magic of a Smile
May 15, 2009
“Peace begins with a smile.” Â (Mother Teresa)
When my son was two or three years old, I used to tell him all the time that he had a magical smile. He’d look up at me with those big eyes, full of wonder, and ask, “Really, Mommy?” I would lean down and whisper, as if it were a sacred secret, “Really.”Â
He would think about it for a while, then say, “Why is it magic, Mommy?” So I would say, “Whenever YOU smile at someone else, they always smile back… no matter what they were doing or thinking before that moment. YOUR smile made their day a little bit brighter, so they smiled back to thank you. Your smile must be magical if it can do all that for someone else.”
What I didn’t tell him is that we all have that magical power… we each have the ability to make others feel better with a simple, silent kindness. If only we’d use our powers more often.
This week I wrote about some “heavy” topics: loneliness, depression, and the fear that holds us back from truly enjoying our lives. I would like to end the week on a lighter note; and what could possibly make us feel lighter than the smile of a happy child?
“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” (Mother Teresa)
It really doesn’t take much to make another person feel a little better. Particularly when that person is feeling truly alone or hopelessly depressed, one tiny smile can be the thing that turns it all around. It’s certainly worth a shot, I think. So for today’s Fellowship Fridays posts, I searched for articles about finding happiness so you can share it with others.
1. Favorite “Foto” Friday (Smiling is Good), from The Zen In You
2. The Pursuit of Happiness, from Happy Lotus
3. How to Find Happiness That Lasts, from Joyful Days
4. Three Keys to Finding True Happiness, from Frugal Dad
5. The Art of Giving What You Don’t Have, from Urban Monk
If you have written an article about finding happiness, or how smiling is contagious, please leave us the link in the comments section. Fellowship Fridays is all about finding and sharing new resources with our readers.
 I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and please remember to SMILE!
Thanks!
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Posted in Fellowship Fridays, happiness, helping others, simplicity
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Hey Serene,
Thanks for the link love. What a lovely thing to tell your son, that he has magic. If all parents did this, children would grow up creating a magical world for themselves and those around them. You’re such an affirming mum!
Daphne @ Joyful Days’s latest post… Half Portions, Double Enjoyment!
Hi, Daphne! You’re welcome. I always know I can find something great on your site. You make my Fridays too easy with your treasure trove of wonderful posts!
The other great thing about smiles is they’re are cheap to give. Here comes one now.
Roger – A Content Life’s latest post… Silence and Solitude
Thanks, Roger! I know my gravatar isn’t exactly smiling, but I assure you that I am.
=-)
Hi Lisis,
You are such a great mommy. Since my mom passed away, will you adopt me?
Thank you for the link love and even more importantly for sharing with all of us the power of a genuine smile. Nothing is more magical when someone smiles with all their heart.
Nadia-HappyLotus’s latest post… Your Inner Artist
Lisis, that was such a cool thing to tell your son. Smiles ARE magical. They are fun to get, easy to give, and nothing improves your appearance quicker that simply putting a smile on your face. Here’s one now
Debra Wier | The Metamorphosis Cafe’s latest post… Stop Looking Backwards
Hi, Nadia! Thanks, though I have to say it’s pretty easy to be a great mommy to such a great kid. I would love to adopt you… but I don’t think Hunter will like giving up his LEGO room for you.
Thank you, Debra! Seeing all your “faces” here has really made ME feel a lot better. This week was a bit of an emotional roller coaster for me, but all’s well that ends with Fellowship Fridays.
=-)
YAY for open comments!! Wonderful post! I really like what you wrote about telling your son he had a magical smile. That’s adorable! Smiling is SO important. I find that every time I do it, I get such a positive response from the world. There can never be too much smiling. I don’t know if you’ve seen the movie Elf or not (LOVE IT!), but one of the lines from it is when Elf says, “Smiling’s my favorite!” Haha, I’m laughing just thinking about it (it’s a lot funnier in the movie). Smiling should be EVERYONE’S favorite!
Positively Present’s latest post… down and out is overrated
Lisis, what a wonderful thing to tell your son. I’ll remember to tell my daughter the same thing.
A Smile can be truly magical. It is the curve that straightens everything out!
Thanks for a great reminder!
Hi, Positively! It’s so funny that you mentioned Elf because I was just out walking with my son and thought of that very line from the movie. I was even going to come back and add it as a comment, since I loved it so much! You read my mind, my dear!
Hi, Prathi! I love that, “the curve that straightens everything out!” It’s so great to see you here on Fellowship Friday… one of my happy days, because I get to see a bunch of wonderful people at my “second home.” You all are filling my heart with smiles!
Lisis — I loved this post. It made me realize that smiles are a universal language. I’m currently in Switzerland in area where everyone speaks French. We went shopping today and I smiled at this woman who was staring at the row of Swiss cookies with the same look of desire as me.
She smiled back and said something in French as she put a box of cookies in her cart. I shrugged my shoulders indicating that I didn’t understand her. Later I realized I did understand her…at least that in that moment we shared as we looked at that row of wonderful Swiss cookies :~)
Sara’s latest post… In Switzerland
Hi Lisis!
I’m sending you an EXTRA SPECIAL smile today for just being you.
Thanks for sharing you with us and passing a smile to me every day via your blog.
Yesterday, while waiting for my medical appointment, a random stranger spotted me who was also a patient. He stood up, came over and sat down in the chair next to me and said, “You look like you could use a few smiles today.” He then proceeded to show me about a dozen or photos he had taken, which were absolutely amazing and beautiful. This was so random and beautiful; I had a moment of pure joy (and tears) when I left the hospital for the day. All because a stranger passed a few smiles to me. Smiles have magic in them, no doubt about that.
: )
Hi, Sara! I’m so glad you commented today because it allowed me to find your blog! I can’t wait to read through your Swiss adventures (the photos look incredible!).
Your cookie story reminds me of the time when Hunter was in a pre-K class in Costa Rica. None of the other four year olds even knew that English existed, and he didn’t speak any Spanish. It was a little tough for him to get through the class part, but recess was easy peasy since, regardless of language barriers, all the kids just wanted to have fun. Smiles are definitely the universal language!
Thanks!
Hi, Lori! That’s a beautiful story. It reminds me of a little book I’ve been reading lately, called “Spot of Grace: Remarkable Stories of How You DO Make a Difference.” It really is the little things that can make the biggest difference.
I’m so thankful for that random stranger that made your doctor appointment day a little bit brighter. Let’s send an extra special smile for him, too! =-)
Lisis! I`d been wanting to write a comment all day!!!!!!!, finally got a break. This is just great! Reminds me of this song:
Do you believe in magic
Dont bother to choose it
If it’s just band music or Rythmn and Blues
Just go and listen
And it’ll start with a smile
It wont wipe off your face no matter how hard you try
WELL I DO! I believe in the magic of a smile. I think everyone is beautiful if they just know how to smile, selflessly, with no reason, just for the sake of it.
No wonder that yellow happy face is so famous
Rosa’s latest post… Celebra la Vida! – Celebrate Life!
Rosalina, querida! Que gusto verte aqui!! =-)
I love those lyrics, and I SO believe in magic… these Fridays are a little bit of magic for me ’cause I get to end each week with all my friends.
Virtual group hug, anyone?
Smiles are contagious! And smiles from my children melt my heart and brush all the stress away from my present moment.
Stacey / Create a Balance’s latest post… Why Do You Need Balance In Your Life?
I’m finally in the habit of smiling after all these years. I think a lot of people thought I was unhappy when I wasn’t just because I didn’t smile. I think smiling became unnatural-feeling to me because I had to pose for so many pictures as a kid. But they sure are powerful when they’re genuine.
David Cain’s latest post… Strength, Soviet Style — Raptitude Experiment No. 2
That’s interesting, David, because I was always dead serious in my kid pictures. Maybe I was more of a rebel than you and just flat out REFUSED to smile when they wanted me to. Now that no one is making me, it comes real natural.
Stacey, I truly believe there is nothing my child’s smile cannot heal. If we could just harness the power of those smiles, we could probably cure cancer and do away with wars.
Smiles really are magical. I read this post this morning, and I carried it in my heart all day long, using it’s power to remind myself to smile at everyone today. It definitely worked magic. Today was a good day
Thanks for the magic, Lisis!
Jay Schryer’s latest post… 18 Til I Die
Hello lovely Lisis! Lovely story and lovely links. Have a lovely weekend.
P.S. I smile much more than I used to but I have a long way to go.
Stephen – Rat Race Trap’s latest post… Movement With Attention
You boys are gonna make me blush! What a lovely and magical way to end my Friday (I’m going to bed to have the sweetest dreams ever!)
=-)
Smiles all around! What a great thing for a Friday. I smile openly and often, but not as much as I could. I need to practice focusing on the things I have to smile about! Now I will think of my family and friends, and how lucky I am to have them in my life. Can you feel me smiling?!
Alison | Quest for Balance’s latest post… Fellowship Fridays: The Magic of a Smile
I know one thing, Ali… I’m heading going off to sleep and YOU are my FairyBlogMother, so you’d better make my dreams come true!
I just stumbled upon this post and really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing, I loved your story about the “magic” of smiling!!
You asked us to share any links on finding happiness, so this is mine, written some time back: http://www.dietriffic.com/2008/06/27/the-secret-of-happiness/
Melanie Thomassian’s latest post… Why Very Low Calorie Diets Are So Dangerous
Hi, Melanie! Thanks for visiting Quest For Balance, and for adding your post on the subject. I just read it and realized that I failed to mention in my post the benefits of smiling to the person doing the smiling! I focused all my attention on how it will make others feel better, but it will also make US feel better when we smile.
Thank you SO much for contributing your comment and post to this conversation!!!
=-)
Hey you! Thanks for the link and the reading material
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net’s latest post… The Inner Child – An Introduction to Dialoguing
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