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Your Smile
We hardly even knew each other,
I didn’t think that I should bother,
But one look was all it took,
One look from you and I was hooked,
Hooked on that beautiful smile,
A smile that would make any man go that extra mile
By Ben Hildebrandt
Subject: Smile
Worry doesn’t help tomorrow’s troubles, but it does ruin today’s
happiness.
Subject: Smile
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently
completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was
Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the
qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her
last project of the term was called “Smile.”
The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and
document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always
smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought, this would
be a piece of cake, literally.
Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest
son, and I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was
just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a
sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my
husband did. I did not move an inch… An overwhelming feeling of
panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had
moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible “dirty body” smell, and
their standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked
down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was “smiling”.
His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God’s Light as he
searched for acceptance. He said, “Good day” as he counted the
few coins he had been clutching.
The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his
friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the
blue eyed gentleman was his salvation.
I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the
counter asked him what they wanted. He said, “Coffee is all Miss”
because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in
the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just
wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost
reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That
is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me,
judging my every action.
I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me
two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around
the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting
spot.
I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed
gentleman’s cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his
eyes, and said, “Thank you.” I leaned over, began to pat his hand
and said, “I did not do this for you. God is here working through
me to give you hope.”
I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.
When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, “That is why
God gave you to me, Honey. To give me hope.” We held hands for a
moment and at that time we knew that only because of the Grace
that we had been given were we able to give.
We are not churchgoers, but we are believers. That day showed me
the pure Light of God’s sweet love. I returned to college, on the
last evening of class, with this story in hand.
I turned in “my project” and the instructor read it. Then she
looked up at me and said, “Can I share this?” I slowly nodded as
she got the attention of the class.
She began to read and that is when I knew that we, as human
beings and being part of God, share this need to heal people and
be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald’s,
husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the
classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.
I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.
Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may
read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE
THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
If you think this story has touched you in any way, please send
this to everyone you know.
Here is an Angel sent to watch over you. In order for her to
work, you must pass this on to the people you want watched over.
An Angel wrote: Many people will walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. To
handle yourself, use your head, To handle others, use your heart.
Anger is only one letter short of danger. Great minds discuss
ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its
nest. He, who loses money, loses much; He, who loses a friend,
loses more; He who loses faith, loses all.
Beautiful young people are acts of nature, but beautiful old
people are works of art.
Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to
make them all yourself. The tongue weighs practically nothing,
but so few people can hold it.
Keep this going. E-mail all your friends this message. E-mail all
those friends you never met. Those you have…………………
And those you’ve lost along the way.
Have a wonderful day!
People will forget what you said.
People will forget what you did, but
People will never forget how you made them feel.
12 Ways To Be Happy
1. Make up your mind to be happy.
Learn to find pleasure in simple things.
2. Make the best of your circumstances.
No one has everything, and everyone has something
of sorrow intermingled with gladness of life. The trick is
to make the laughter outweigh the tears.
3. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Don’t think that somehow you should be protected
from misfortune that befalls other people.
4. You can’t please everybody. Don’t let criticism worry you.
5. Don’t let your neighbor set your standards. Be yourself.
6. Do the things you enjoy doing but stay out of debt.
7. Never borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder
to bear than real ones.
8. Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish jealousy,
Avoid people who make you unhappy.
9. Have many interests. If you can’t travel, read about new
places.
10. Don’t hold postmortems. Don’t spend your time brooding
over sorrows or mistakes. Don’t be one who never gets over
things.
11. Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself.
12. Keep busy at something. A busy person never has time
to be unhappy.
And I could add Number 13:
To know lasting happiness, get to know Jesus.