Smile

It's my birthday, I was thinking maybe an appropriate post about how it feels to get older, to watch yourself get older, to feel your body getting older would be in order, but I'm feeling too happy for that so I'll save it for when I'm having a blah day and feel like hurtling myself further into the depths of despair.

So on a more chipper note - I thought I'd write about smiling.  I'm not a natural "smiler" although the most attractive thing to the Husband is a woman with a "nice smile". He'll see someone smiley on TV and say "I like smiley people".  Sometimes I take it as a personal affront.  Which isn't a bad lesson to be learned.  To be indirectly told to smile more can only be a good thing.
Along with the emotional benefits from smiling, studies have shown that smiling reduces stress, boosts your immune system, lowers your blood pressure and releases endorphines, seretine and natural pain killers.  Gawd, makes you smile doesn't it.

Do you know of people in your world who are just natural  born smilers.  I have many.  My friend Katie is a notorious smiler, she smiles at anyone and everyone and traps them under her spell.  They smile back at her probably without even knowing they're doing it.  My friend Mia is the same, she smiles and calls out hello to people as she walks past them and I see the look in people's eyes as they fall for her hook, line and sinker.  Smiley people are just so infectious.

I have a friend who has much worry in her world at the moment.  A member of her family is unwell.  I can imagine that smiles are rare and precious.
I got a text from her the other day  "...got a lot of smiles today which were balm for the soul..."

Just about sums it up, right!