The cost of giving away a smile is priceless!  Think about what a smile can do for someone.  As we walk through our day there are so many times we can choose to be generous with our smile or choose to not share. 

There are days that I am not feeling much like smiling.  I might be busy, stressed, feeling ill, heard bad news, or just had a day when business was not going as well as planned.  Making a decision to put on a smile can change everything. 

Giving a smile can be as easy as tilting those lips in a slightly upward direction, making eye contact in a caring way, and allowing your eyes to spread joy.  Teeth or no teeth, I will take any warm welcoming sign of kindness. 

On the other hand, there is little that hurts my heart more than a fake smile.  One that is plastered on someone’s face hiding all the discontentment in their life. One where the smile is so big and so tight that their entire jawline and neck look strained.  When I encounter this smile, I pray to God that they will find peace and love in their life and that they will find the true joy of giving a smile.

What is the true joy of giving a smile?  One of the reasons I am so fond of a caring smile is that you never know what wearing that smile may mean to someone.  It can change their outlook on the day and that can be passed on to others.  When someone smiles at you, they are acknowledging that you exist, and that in itself is important to receive.

I have had days when someone commented on my smile and I had no idea that I was wearing one; I love those days!  Those are the days I feel like I am sharing joy.  When life gets stressful, often we forget to share a smile. 

One year I made a conscious effort to make sure I used my smile often and when appropriate.  I noticed that I was not using my smile as often as I had in the past.  I always remembered to get dressed, eat, take care of my children, go to work, etc.  However, I found myself forgetting to wear my smile.  I decided that I missed the joy that I felt when wearing it.  I put a smiley face sticky note on my mirror and made an effort to wear it as often as possible.  I found that when I wore my smile I felt more relaxed, had more fun, and spread a lot more joy!

A smile is a true gift from God, use it wisely and use it often!

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