smiles

Making another person smile is a very satisfying act of creation. Sometimes it's as easy as showing up, like today when my sweet R spied me coming toward her front yard and I had the pleasure not only of seeing her smile, but of having her run and fling herself in my arms for a good long hug. Sometimes it comes from the giving of a gift that's just right, like today when I gave Little House on the Prairie dress-up skirts to N and S who positively beamed at the thought of looking the part when they slip into the sister roles of Laura and Mary in play. Sometimes the smiles come when you listen and nod and listen and nod some more, like today when I heard a friend tell me about a significant part of her life journey. Sometimes the smiles bubble up like the bubbles in champagne, popping effervescently, like today when I got together with a friend and we shared our recent dating adventures/fiascos. Sometimes it's the thing that connects you briefly with a stranger, like today when I gave a passing stranger a compliment on her outfit as we crossed the street in different directions. It's particularly satisfying to transform tears into a smile, like today when I comforted little E after a tumble. And the beautiful thing about making someone smile is how, instantly, a smile pops up on your own face. Even the makers of MSN get it-- making smiley face emoticons available to (attempt to) compensate for the very impersonal nature of online chatting. I think making someone smile is the surest way of bringing a little sunshine your way. So, perhaps the surest way of ensuring personal happiness is to dedicate yourself to making others happy. It's all gift.