I know someone, not well, who has a smile that contains a lot of warmth. I pass him sometimes as I wander down the lane. He is driving out or coming home and smiles and waves. In his smile I feel peacefulness, welcoming, joy, acceptance and calm. So much in a smile. I notice how the energy of his smile lifts my entire being. I notice, too, how the effect stays with me long after he has turned the corner and disappeared out of sight. All day long one smile is having an effect.
I think to myself, a smile is such a simple thing we can offer to others and something that can really make the world a more beautiful place. But then I think maybe it is not so simple. To offer a smile like that, one has to already be smiling in one’s heart. One must be feeling the peace and joy and acceptance within oneself if it is to flow out in one’s smile.
So smiling, perhaps, is simple. But learning to smile is a dedicated practice of tending to one’s inner state. This is why changing the world always begins within our own hearts.
Love and courage,
Leah
Leave a Reply