Smile

 As a teenager, one compliment I heard from others about my mother is that she always had a smile on her face. I didn't acquire that trait, but I love that she was known for that.

One day, just prior to my mother's death, I was at the grocery store and ended up at the deli to get some fresh cut turkey meat for sandwiches. I guess I must have had a sad look on my face because the woman behind the counter said something to me that kind of hurt. I don't remember her exact words, but she said something to the fact that I never have a smile on my face. Hmmm...I had never heard that from anyone else before. Maybe they were just being polite to me. Her statement caused me to look inward and to do a self-evaluation.

First of all, I tried to justify my lack of smiling to the fact that my mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer and was living out her last days on the earth at that very time. What was there to smile about? I was very sad that I would soon be losing my mother. I also tried to justify it by thinking about how boring grocery shopping can be. Does anyone go around the grocery store smiling happily from ear to ear?

Once my justifications were over, I realized that I did have things to smile about. Not everything in life is sad or boring. After all, I had the gospel of Jesus Christ. What more did I need? I had a testimony that this life will have its ups and downs but that with the help of Jesus Christ I can rise above any trial that is sent my way. Nobody gets out of this life without any struggles and trials. 

Getting old is my current struggle, but that doesn't mean that I need to hang my head low and be miserable all the time. No! I can find joy and happiness every day of my life. I can always find ways to put a smile on my face. I don't want to be known as a sourpuss.

I have tried to keep a positive outlook on life. This life is just temporary. Better times are ahead, for sure, once we pass through the veil into the next life. I am definitely looking forward to those better days, but until then, I will try to be more smiley here and now like my mother was.