writing, inspiration,

“Be the Reason Someone Smiles Today” by Joan Y. Edwards

My personal mantra is to encourage others on my path in life so they do not give up on themselves. One way to help people look at things differently is to be the reason they smile. I love to be the reason people smile. It makes me smile on the inside. It fills me with joy.

My PaPa Bruffey loved to make people smile. He took pictures of them and sent them prints in the mail with little drawings and words that would make your heart sing. He went to the Miss America contests and took pictures there. One year he was a judge for the Miss North Carolina contest. On a girl’s picture he would put, “So beautiful, she would make a bulldog break his chain.”

My grandmother on my father’s side of the family, Mother Meyer loved to laugh. She was even able to laugh at her own foibles and humanity. That was a wonderful trait. For instance, one time she got a new black coat. It was lovely and warm for winter. She picked up what she thought was a bottle of spray perfume. Instead it was red spray paint!

My Mother made me laugh. I don’t believe that was her intention, but she did it seamlessly. She said wise things that surprised me and therefore brought a smile to my face. One time I asked her, “Mother, do you believe when people die they go to heaven?” Her answer, “Some do and some don’t.”

My Uncle Sam Bruffy, PaPa Bruffey’s brother, made me laugh (notice they are brothers and spelled their last name differently). He could use ventriloquism and throw his voice so it sounded like some dogs were right outside the door. One year he dressed up as the United States Uncle Sam and walked on stilts, probably for a costume party. I was in second grade. I went back to school. I saw a poster of Uncle Sam saying, “I Want You.” I told the children in the class that the man in the poster was my Uncle Sam. The teacher had to settle the heated issue and explain to the children that I actually had an Uncle Sam who dressed up like that but that it wasn’t him in the poster.

Leo Widrich tells us to stand in front of a mirror and smile. He says even a practiced smile can help you feel happy and more relaxed immediately.

Here are ten things that may make someone smile:

Smile at them. Smiling is contagious, like laughter.
Give them a real compliment that comes from your heart. Explain how not everyone does what they do.
Thank them for something they’ve done for you. Simple things like opening a door, carrying a package, giving them your seat.
Share a humorous experience you’ve had.
Help them do something they can’t do for themselves.
Call them on the phone and see how they are doing. Hearing a friendly voice on the phone will brighten their day. You can ask, “Is this a good time to talk?”
Send them a card or letter through snail mail.
Pay for their meal.
Give them a gift.
Listen to them.

There are many more ways to help people smile. If they don’t smile, it’s okay. Keep smiling anyway. Being kind sends many smiles your way. Sometimes a smile leads to laughter which is totally fun!

Smiles, giggles, and laughter fill your body with feeling good endorphins (healing energy). You and I definitely need more of that today with all the negative things surrounding us!

Quotes with a smile!

Resources

Christine Schuster. 40 Things That Will Make You Smile (theodysseyonline.com)
Lori Deschene. 51 Things That Will Make You Smile (tinybuddha.com)
Leo Widrich. The Science of Smiling & Why It’s So Powerful | Buffer Blog
Wiki Staff. 6 Ways to Make Someone Smile – wikiHow

Please leave a comment and tell me what makes you smile, fills you with joy, or what you believe might make someone smile!

Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards, Author
Copyright © 2009-2020 Joan Y. Edwards

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“Accept Yourself As You Are” by Joan Y. Edwards

From June 19, 2020 to July 3, 2020 my husband, Carl, was in the hospital. He is now in rehab. He had a severe infection in half of his colon which caused his blood pressure to drop dangerously low. He fell and I called 911. They took him to emergency room and put him in ICU for 2 days. They cleared up the infection with anti-biotics. No surgery needed. Thank you, God. Then neuropathy set in and still low blood pressure. They gave him medicine to build blood pressure and to keep neuropathy away.

Why am I writing this post? To remind you to love and accept yourself as you are right this moment. Every day of your life, it is vitally important to accept yourself with all your frailties, imperfections, all the things you are capable of doing, and all the things you are not able to do because of things out of your control.

There are certain times in your life it may seem like you are powerless. I felt that way many times during the past two weeks and three days. You want to make people feel better and cure their ailments, especially those you love. However, God is in charge of that. He puts all the people and resources in your life and the life of those you love to give them everything they need at this moment.

Prayer is very powerful. Many people prayed and asked God to heal Carl. His infection is gone. He didn’t need surgery. He is in a great skilled nursing facility with physical therapy and occupational therapy. Thank you, God. Thank you to all those who prayed for Carl.

What I had to accept: That the resources were not available at this time to give Carl the help he needs to get better at home. That God wanted Carl to be in the skilled nursing facility where he has people and resources to help heal him.

I also reminded Carl to love himself as he is. I told him everyone goes through times in their lives when their bodies aren’t doing what they want. I told him that everyone has to remind themselves to love themselves as they are each day of their lives. To say to themselves, I am getting better every day.

I love myself as I am right now.
I can do everything that God wants me to do right now.
I am good.
I am safe.
I am getting better each day.
God loves me very much.

COVID 19 added much stress but thank goodness, things are in place to better protect employees, visitors, and patients in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Thank you, God, for all these employees who take risks every day to help others.

Say to yourself:

I love myself as I am right now.
I can do everything that God wants me to do right now.
I am good.
I am safe and well.
God loves me very much.

There are many other great hints that I learned from caring for my Mother to help you care for yourself and for your elder in my book, Joan’s Elder Care Guide: Empowering You and Your Elder to Survive

Copyright 2016 Aidana Willow-Raven and 4RV Publishing

Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

Subscribe to Joan’s blog for new articles of inspiration, information, and humor. Receive free gifts. Join over 216 subscribers and over 1,000,000 visitors. Thank you.

Writing, Inspiration