a child smiles 400 times a day

Mother Teresa said, "I will never understand all the good that a smile can accomplish."  A woman who reigns supreme over sharing compassion and joy couldn't even comprehend the power of a simple smile.  A smile is certainly a phenomenal thing.

Little Pineapple and Momma Cait
photo credit Laura McBride

Above is my Precious Pineapple and her momma Cait.  Pineapple has a smile that consumes her face.  Her eye's squint, her nose crinkles and her cheeks are pushed to their very limits. It's an adorable thing, a true treasure.  And every child has that same charm!   One can not resist the infection of a child's smile, it's contagious...you WILL catch it.  In all my years of serving children and watching them grow, it's their smiles that catch me off guard the most.  They are pure and sincere.

As we grow, life blesses us with challenges that test our purest and most sincere of smiles.  We get used to "fake" smiling just to appease another.  Our laughter becomes more gratuitous and our giggles fade into sinister chuckles.  This makes me sad, which is the opposite of happy, which means I'm not smiling right now.  So, I studied up...yep, I studied the science of a smile.  And it's real stuff, scientifically proven stuff!

Ron Gutman is legit.  He graduated from Stanford University and is the CEO and founder of Health Tap (an interactive health company), so he knows his stuff.  I specifically studied his research because he wasn't boring to listen to and he is super motivated.  There are a few of his findings I would like to share...
*  babies smile in the womb - it can be seen on ultra sound imaging!
*  smiling rewards your senses more than any other 'thing' can (i.e..chocolate, ice cream, new shoes).
*  smiling makes you healthier...reduces cortisol and increases endorphins.
*  when you smile you appear to be confident (great advice for job interviews)
*  SMALL CHILDREN SMILE MORE THAN 400 TIMES PER DAY!  (that's my favorite!)
For more uplifting smile information, look up Ron Gutman: the hidden power of smiling.  I can't seem to copy a link to this blog...so google him!

Sharing a smile is a valid act of service.  Though we may not have 400 smiles a day in us anymore, we can certainly try for 100.  We would have the ability to infect 100 people a day with smile, what a divine infection!  More over, a glorious cure!  Someday, I pray, we will all smile more.  Let the children be our example and let us be thankful for every smile they gift us.

What puts the smile on your face???  Go ahead...let me know, comment below :]

Keep your sunny side up!
Lisa Lucille