What are you smiling about?

There is nothing like hearing an infectious laugh, or being on the receiving end of a flashy smile, when you know it is genuine.  Humour is a very underrated emotion and quite hard to come by, even in our modern world.  I always found it intriguing that magazine polls and radio shows report that men and woman place a lot of emphasis, when it come to relationships, on whether the other person can make them laugh, or has a nice smile.  We teach our children to smile so that the world smiles with us and not to frown, as we frown alone and we give them messages like "put a smile on your face" and "smile and wave".  I think that maintaining a sense of humour is very necessary, to help us to face daily challenges and circumstances - we need a reprieve sometimes, from the mundane existence, or a tough day in the office or an angry encounter. We need to physically seek to bring humour to a situation and when the opportunity arises we need to make the effort to smile and bless others, with a presentation of a set of teeth.  There is nothing to lose in exercising this emotion and it may even be a lot of fun.  Some people are naturally blessed with a wit, or ability to make others laugh, some are blessed with a smile or a laugh that just grabs your attention, or takes your breath away.  To them I say "carry on" and keep using your skill.  But what of those that find the going a bit tougher and cannot always find a smile so easily.  I think it is a matter of looking inwardly and accepting ourselves for who we are, actively looking for opportunities to bless others, being grateful for the blessing we have in our lives, no matter how small and precious, and resolving to meet a situation or person with a smile as opposed to the pensive look or the frown, we may want to present.  Like so many things in life, the choice or decision to meet a situation with an opposite spirit can be extremely effective and liberating.  Your momentary act of love may even be the very thing that the person opposite you was needing, or wanting from an encounter.  A smile in a tense situation can diffuse the atmosphere and a good laugh can open up every pore in your body and make you feel truly alive.  So actively pursue the moment and enjoy the experience - I am certainly going to try it today.