I have loved this poem for years. A friend gave it to me and it has stayed with me for a very long time in a picture frame I have in my office. I see it every single day. A listener called to say she too has it in her family and they pass it along as a way to remind each other of the importance of a smile. I'm giving it to you in the hopes that it brightens your day and reminds you of just how important your own smile is to the world.
A Smile
A smile enriches those who receive,
without making poorer those who give.
It takes but a moment,
but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it,
none so poor but he can be made rich by it.
A smile creates happiness in the home,
fosters good will in business,
and is the countersign of friendship.
It brings rest to the weary,
cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad,
and it's nature's best antidote for trouble.
Yet it cannot be borrowed or stolen,
for it is something of no value to anyone unless it is given away.
Some people are too tired to give you a smile.
Give them one of yours,
as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.
Author: Anonymous