Why do you smile so much?

Today I had a patient ask me "Crystal, Why do you smile so much?"  My response:  "When I smile it makes me feel so good.  If I had to be honest though the real reason why I smile is because I secretly want people to smile back at me." The patient who struggles severely with depression looked into my eyes and gave me the biggest smile I've ever seen.  I can't tell you how much that made my day.  I love this poem and the author is unknown.

                                                         SMILING IS INFECTIOUS

Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized
I'd passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile,
then I realized its worth.
A single smile, just like mine
could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin,
don't leave it undetected.
Let's start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!

 

I truly believe that smiles are contagious.  I test my theory everyday.  People recognize when you smile and I can honestly say that 90% of the time that I smile at someone they smile back at me.  It's interesting when I don't smile how many people recognize this and ask me why I'm not "Smiling".  In one of my classes in college I read a research study on how smiling can improve your happiness.  It stated that smiling not only makes you feel better emotionally, but as you smile your brain releases endorphins that can relieve pain and increases feelings of contentment.  In my theory and in this poems theory when we smile and get someone else to smile we can increase their happiness just by sharing a smile.  So, Why not smile more? 

 

Get the world infected! I encourage you to test my theory and let me know how it goes! 

 

Crystal Angel