The Boy without a Smile

Sometime ago I wrote a book entitled “The Boy Without a Smile.”

It is about a mute orphan who kept walking and walking because he had no place to go.  Sometimes, kind people would give him food, sometimes someone would give him an old shirt, but always he slept on the sidewalk at night.

After a very, very long walk, he saw a family in the park who were so happy they seemed to have a perpetual smile. In fact, when they saw him, they smiled!  Not only did they smile, they offered him a home.

It didn’t take long before the mute boy started smiling. And he never stopped smiling ever again.

* * *

Why do some people never smile?

Well, maybe they’re embarrassed of their teeth; or maybe, they may not know you’re smiling at them; or they just had a bad day; or they think they don’t have anything to smile about.

My niece had this answer when I asked her that question:

“Only animals do not smile, so if someone doesn’t like to smile, maybe he is not human,” she said this with a big smile, followed by giggles.

* * *

How about you? Do you smile a lot? Or do you smile only a little — and only once in a while?

If you do smile, what kind of smile do you have? There are many kinds of smiles:

• a lip smile where your lips are stuck together;

• a smile that shows all of your front teeth, even if some are missing;

• a smile that crinkles your nose;

• a smile that squints your eyes till they become tiny slits;

• or a smile that leads to unstoppable laughter till tears start falling from your eyes.

* * *

Mother Teresa (if you still haven’t heard of her, your mom or dad can tell you all about this nun who did so much for people and peace when she was still alive) was an awardee of the famous Nobel Peace prize. She said, “Peace begins with a smile.”

Indeed, when you have hurt someone and you tell him or her you’re sorry, you smile. Chances are, she or he will smile back and you will be friends again.

* * *

People who like to smile say a lot of good things about why we should smile. Santosh Kalwar, a poet and author, wrote, “I was smiling yesterday, I am smiling today, and I will smile tomorrow. Simply because life is too short to cry for anything.”

There is an old, old song by a famous singer named Frank Sinatra that my mom used to sing:

When you’re smiling,

when you’re smiling

The whole world smiles with you

When you’re laughing,

when you’re laughing

The sun comes shining through

But when you’re crying,

you bring on the rain

So stop your sighing,

be happy again

Keep on smiling,

‘cause when you’re smiling

The whole world smiles with you

* * *

Let’s end “Big Little People” today with a quiz. Choose the best answer:

When things aren’t going the way you want them to, do you:

a.            Cry?

b.            Smile?

I wish you’d choose “b” and smile (any kind is okay) as you do so.

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