Smile

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

― Thich Nhat Hanh

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I look at my daughter

smiling at me from the screen

just a vacation picture

but joy oozes

and the smile

it lights up the room

and I am envious

for I am not sure I remember how to smile

oh I do

from time to time

but that smile that makes your face ache?

that comes from somewhere deep within?

Ah, that is an elusive thing

other people seem to find a their smile

they take a selfie, and sparkle

I take a selfie and look like I just had a colonoscopy

I have always been a bit of a serious soul

I think I was old by the time I was 10

but seriously

it would be so nice to smile

really smile

to feel the joy

as it flies (thanks Blake)

but how do I bring a smile to the surface?

how do I move from looking, and feeling

so pained?

perhaps

the smile is the thing

perhaps the smile draws joy to the surface

perhaps a smile draws joy from afar

I suppose it cannot hurt to smile

so I will try

just don’t chastise me

if I walk around looking

constipated

just smile back