“Smile! It increases your face value.” That’s one of my favorite quotes from “Steel Magnolias.” I’m a firm believer in smiles. It’s common lore that smiling uses more muscles than frowning, but there is mixed research on whether that’s actually true. Did you know, however, that there IS scientific evidence that shows smiling can affect emotion – that if we make ourselves smile in a negative situation, it will reduce stress. Newer research suggests smiling is also beneficial for the heart. In any case, I’d rather have smile lines than frown lines. My sister apparently feels the same way.
I love my sister’s smile. It’s genuine and almost always on her face. She has said that people have come up to her simply to say it was nice to see someone smiling. Such was the case last year when she and her husband were eating at a restaurant in a District of Columbia suburb. It turned out the person was a photojournalist who wanted to know her story. So she told him a love story – how love and cancer intersected in her life. This is a vignette that resulted:
Many thanks to Stephen P. Robertson, the producer, for giving me permission to share his work on Sharing the Strength.
“When there are clouds, in the sky, you’ll get by if you smile, through your fear and sorrow. Smile, and there’ll be tomorrow” – Judy Garland, “Smile”
Share the strength.
Sharing the Strength 
Annie, WOW, I experienced the pleasure of Vanda’s beautiful smile last weekend! She was telling the story of the maple cradle that your Dad made and her face was aglow. Her smile is radiant , truly contagious, instantly calming and oh so good for the heart!
Indeed it is — thanks, Kate!
[…] too long ago, I wrote a post about how smiling, even if you don’t really mean it, can lift your mood. Laughter, likewise, also has physical, […]