Day 19 - SMILE

Every year on the first Friday of October the world celebrates World Smile Day. A fact I only discovered yesterday. Apparently the brainchild of a Mr Henry Ball from Massachusetts who, in 1963, designed the now internationally recognised Smiley Face:

On this day, we're encouraged to: 

"Spread the smiles far and wide when on your daily stride,

and wherever you travel and to those you see, instinctively smile gleefully.” 

So me, Vicky and Mr P thought we'd give it a go.

The day started well as we travelled to the Yorkshire Moors in Vicky's car. A few dog walkers on narrow lanes stopped to let us by and smiled. A few drivers grinned when Vicky stopped to let them go by. And some random walkers either smiled as we cheesily grinned in their direction. Looked confused. Or looked away.

And so the day continued.

It was a good opportunity to do some people watching too. And observe their interactions. And see how many were smiling. Without us looming up on them.

I would say, at the end of the day, about a third of the people I watched smiled at some point. And about half of the people we smiled at smiled back.

All in all it was good to see the smiles we did see. And those we didn't served as a reminder that not everyone has something to smile about. And it would be cruel to expect them to. Or at least a tad insensitive.

So World Smile Day. What do I think now?

I think it felt timely, given all that's going on in the world just now, and that hopefully it helped spread some joy. But it also highlighted for me the need to be careful with each other. And not force what we think might be helpful. Or funny. Or assume might brighten someone's day.

I'm a joy-bringer at heart. A renowned inappropriate giggler. I laugh so easily it's ridiculous at times. So today for me was a gift! An excuse to smile for no reason and not hold back. And yet, it's taught me something unexpected. About being a wiser smiler. That there's nuances to joy. And there's an art to sharing it well.

Joy isn't all bright yellow smiley faces. It's not a gimmickey thing. And it's not a one-day-a-year thing either, thank God. It's a gift to give away, everyday, in all kinds of ways: generously, sensitively, gregariously, gently, bravely, beautifully. However it's best beholded, I guess, and hopefully, at the end of the day, received.