Smile! :-)

Everyone knows that we're attracted to people who smile. There are numerous health benefits   too of smiling.

As children, we smiled and laughed so easily. Have you seen babies and really young children?  Have you noticed  how infectious their happy attitudes are? We find ourselves smiling very broadly indeed when a baby smiles at you or when a child does. (I go absolutely ga-ga over babies who smile at me!) Most experts tell you that even if you force yourself to smile and act happy when things are going wrong, you actually begin feeling better. I can vouch it is true. I have a friend who makes me laugh so much. She and I giggle like sillies over small stupidities and trivial things and within minutes we're feeling great. I so miss her!(We used to be neighbours  when I lived in Bangalore)

When I was very young, about 5 or maybe 6, I took part in a 'smiling contest' because my teacher at school entered my name for it. I had no idea what it meant and I have no clue who were the morons who thought of holding such a contest for kids that age. All I knew was that I had to go up on stage and smile. I did. The next thing I know, I was told I had won and my parents were sent a letter. Later I came to know that it was an offer from a toothpaste company to model for their product! Turned out that the  Morons who thought of the 'smiling contest' were quite smart after all.

Ever since then, I have smiled whenever there is a camera in sight :-) It is like a reflex reaction :-) I see a camera or even its shadow and I grin. :-) I cannot help it. Almost every photograph of mine, ever since childhood, where I am looking directly into the camera, will be a smiling one. One plastered  with a huge 'Isn't-life-great-I-am-so-happy 'smile.

The other day, on my Facebook profile I put up a very different picture of me which my son had clicked without my knowledge. I put it up because I liked it. It prompted a huge flood of comments from my friends as well as from people who know me only as the author of the book. Most of them hated the photo and wanted me to take it off. Most said I looked angry and asked if I was pissed off about something. I truly wasn't! I was, in fact ,watching a Bollywood Hindi number (which I quite enjoy watching) and so was concentrating on steps and choreography in the song (as I love to dance) . Then my son called out to me and told me to look into the camera and like magic the smile was back :-)

Both the black and white pictures were clicked within seconds of one another. After I got so many comments for the first picture which I had put up as my profile picture, I was prompted to study these two pictures and then I thought about how much a smile really conveys, which made me write this post. The third picture was clicked when I was genuinely happy and I finally changed the profile picture to the third one after so many comments about looking angry! :-)

Top Reasons  why I believe you should smile most of the time (For smiling all the time you have to be Mona Lisa :-)) [These are in addition to health benefits of smiling given at the start of the post].

1." It creates warmth. Think of it as the rent you have to pay for occupying space on this Earth. You're living here--it is your duty to spread a little warmth." --Preeti Shenoy :)

2. Smiling also makes one look younger :-) (Yes--it is true)

3. A smile will ward off all those uncomfortable questions which the 'Prickers'   like to ask.

4. "A genuine smile improves your face value".--Author unknown

5".Smiling is contagious. It spreads. The side benefit is that it also helps you make friends faster".--Preeti Shenoy

6.Smiling makes people wonder what you're up to. :-)

7."People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile" --Lee Mildon.

8. "A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you're at home."  ~Author Unknown

9. "A smile is a curve that can set everything straight"--Phyllis Diller

10. "Wear a smile. one size fits all."--Author unknown.

11.Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.  ~Mother Teresa

 

12.A smile costs nothing but gives much.  It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give.  It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.  None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it.  Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.  Some people are too tired to give you a smile.  Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.  ~Author Unknown

Still need reasons? Or are you smiling now? :-)
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Ps: If you want to smile a bit more, watch the video on the right :)  and if you liked it watch this.