A smile costs nothing, but creates much. It enriches those who receive it and does not impoverish you in the least. It happens in a flash and the memory of it sometimes lasts a lifetime. A smile creates happiness in the home and fosters good will among men. It is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and Nature's best remedy for trouble. A smile is no earthly good to anyone till it is given away. None of us are so rich that we can get along without it, and none of us are really poor as long as we can smile. Nobody needs a smile so much as the one who has none to give. So get used to smiling heart-warming smiles, and you will spread sunshine in a sometimes dreary world. This sunshine is the sunshine of God's love, if you smile from the motive of loving your neighbor and making him happy for God's sake.
Become a member of the Apostolate of Smiling
. Your smile has work to do for God, because it is an instrument for winning souls. Sanctifying grace, dwelling in your soul, will sweeten your smile and will enable it to do much good.
Smile to yourself until you notice that your seriousness, or even severity, has vanished; until you have warmed your own heart with the development of a cheery disposition. Then go out and radiate your smile.
With a smile you can bring new life and hope and courage into the hearts of the weary, the over-burdened, the discouraged, the tempted, the despairing. Your smile can prepare the way for a sinner's return to God. It can promote contentment, joy, satisfaction, encouragement, and confidence in the hearts of others.
Smile on the lonely faces, on the timid faces, on the sorrowful faces, on the sickly faces, on the fresh young faces, on the wrinkled old faces, on the familiar faces of your family and friends. Let all enjoy the beauty and inspiring cheer of your smiling face!
Above all, smile at God in loving acceptance of whatever He sends into your life, and you will deserve to have the radiantly Smiling Face of Christ gaze on you with special love throughout eternity.
~Kindness, Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik
*I am blessed with many smiling children (most of the time :) .
3 comments:
And such beautiful smiles, too!
I absolutely love that book! What sweet faces!!! I need to write you again one of these days ~I enjoyed your letter so much.
God bless you and yours!
~Kate
I love it too, Kate. I found an old hard backed copy and everytime I open it I get the lovely smell of the old binding. It has taken me forever to read (I think I've been reading it for over a year now) because I keep coming across these wonderful things to think on, and I have to ponder them before I can move on. Someday I'll finish it though!
I hope all is well at your home!
Thank you Tori! :)
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