Smile

"Smile, though your heart is aching, smile, even though it's breaking. When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by." ~ Charlie Chaplin

In honor of Mr. Chaplin's birthday, I wanna touch on something that most of us do everyday but don't know the actual power that is within it. Yes indeed, it is a smile.

You know, my semester as of late has been nothing short of crazy. I've been through some pretty heart-wrenching drama, I've been the president of an organization which I love, and I've made some friends who I think I'm gonna stick with the rest of my life. So many emotions have gone through my head this semester that at some points I don't even know what to think anymore. It's just a mess. However, there is one thing that never fails to brighten my day:

A Smile.

Now, sure, I know what you're thinking. "Daniel, what's a smile got to do with anything? There are so many types of smiles. Some people smile when they are angry or sad, just to mask their emotions."

Yes, random person's thoughts, I do understand where you are coming from. In fact, I'm not going to lie and say that I haven't done that, because indeed I have. I go to parties or social gatherings and just sit there with a dumb grin on my face like everything is "A-Okay" in my world, when in fact everything is crumbling down. I'll go home from these things and just cry, because I can never be real to anyone, and it hurts. However, this ISN'T the smile I want people to have.

I want people to smile even when they are feeling down, but I don't want them to mask it. I want them to let people know that they are indeed going through a rough time, but to smile, and just let others know that they are trying their very hardest to get through this inner turmoil they seem to be going through.

I'm not saying this is going to be easy, in fact, it'll probably be much more the opposite. I have been smiling a lot recently because of my drama, and believe me it's one of the hardest things I've done, but I can say it works. I feel inherently better about my days if I just put a smile on and let the world know that I am indeed trying to feel good about myself, and I am indeed trying my hardest to push for the happiness I crave. However, if you believe that this won't work, or you have any doubts whilst doing this, it won't work. Yeah, it's kind of one of those all or nothing things, but what do you have to lose by just smiling??

Also, the power of your own smile can really affect another person's day as well. The fact that you are showing that gumption and faith to stick it out there and just believe in yourself, others will look at you and start feeling better about themselves in the end. This help for others will indeed strengthen your own resolve as well.

Of course, I'm not saying that this is going to work all of the time. I'm not saying it will work at all. Maybe your hurt is so bad you need to talk to someone, and I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Talk your leg off. It helps as well. I just want you to at least try the smile method. Once again, what do you have to lose??

So, your goal for today is to go out into the world and just smile. That's all I will ask of you. Whatever you do today, whether it be hang out with friends, play video games, go clubbing or anything else, just go into it with a warm smile on your face and, to be all Disney with my metaphors, watch the magic happen.

~This is Deej, signing off.