“Rough Road?” (photo credit: Grace Church)
Week #75 – Rough Road? (Take a closer look!)
Greetings All — and Happy Friday!
I saw this road sign last week and just had to talk about it! To all my friends in areas battling winter storm after storm — it just doesn’t look too rough, does it?!
But despite the blue sky and palm trees, something’s just not right.
It’s the same with people.
It’s easy to assume a smiling face, sunny demeanor, or happy exterior means that life is nothing but smooth sailing. After all, smiling comes easy when everything’s going your way!
Right?
Not so. There are people whose bodies reflexively smile in conflict — and pain. Whose toothy grins are an ancient defense mechanism designed to assert power — or plead for help.
We don’t know until we take a closer look. Something might just not be right.
Your Challenge for the Week Ahead: Take a closer look! We all have those people in our lives who WE count on for a friendly smile. Don’t take them for granted — take a closer look! Ask them how they are doing, how things are going, or what they are up to. And if they are smiling out of genuine pleasure — then bask in it! But if they are smiling out of pain or conflict — then encourage them, support them, and maybe this time…be the one who smiles back!
Makes you wish we all had a road sign, hmm?
Spread Happyness – Take a closer look! And tell us what you see in the comments!
2/19/16 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com
There are a few people I can think of who wear a smile that covers the lie beneath. A broken spirit. A lonely heart. A feeling of defeat and surrender. The smile is perhaps for themselves to convince them all is okay or perhaps to give a gift to others that they cannot give to themselves.
Thank you so much for following along, Anne — and taking the time to comment! The question then, I suppose…is how best to spread happyness to those people?
I love my weekly dose of spread happyness. I know I am one of those who puts a smile on at all times. I need to speak up more but other times I am genuinely happy. <3 this blog!!
JoAnn!!! Thank you so much for your comment and continuing to follow along! I know you choose Happyness more often than not! KEEP SMILING — and ENJOY IT!!!