Next Practices

Several things made me smile today – not laugh, just smile – with a contentment and joy that is more important than a momentary laugh.

The first came at 5 a.m. when my alarm went off and my dog Callie did what she always does when she hears my alarm. She crawled on top of me, laid down on my chest and started licking me until I was fully awake and got up to let her outside. We usually lay there and wake up together for a few minutes. She makes a little squeaky noise when she yawns which is cute because she so rarely makes any noise at all. Even though I had only gone to bed 2.5 hours earlier, it was a good way to wake up. It made me smile.

Then throughout the day at work I could not help but smile when I saw my computer’s wallpaper which is the picture shown here of my 10-month-old granddaughter Abby. She is playing with an empty bottle of my favorite hometown soft drink, Ale-8. When I see her sweet face I can’t help but smile, and as much time as I spend on my computer each day, that’s a lot of smiles.

The last I’ll mention is the slightly abnormal cause of smiles which is simply doing a job I love. I shake my head in disbelief regularly that I am blessed with the opportunity to spend my days doing work I am passionate about and want to do even more of when I come home. It’s good to smile when you think about your work.

I suppose it’s possible to smile about things that should not make you smile, but only if your heart is not where it should be in terms of what is best for others or yourself. Assuming, though, that you don’t get enjoyment from what hurts others or yourself, smiles tell us something about ourselves. They tell us what we enjoy, what we are passionate about, and who we really are as individuals.

Be thankful for what makes you smile. Enjoy the moment.

Leap year lesson #25 is Know what makes you smile.