A Smile for Christmas

Today I read a thought from a young friend of mine.  It was his honesty thought for the day on Facebook.  He said, "A smile seems small to a happy man.  But a smile seems like the sun in a world of darkness to a man who needs it.  Smile."

This struck me because just yesterday I experienced the down side of this thought.  I was the one who felt the darkness and needed the smiles.  I am happy most of the time and it is pretty easy to smile and be friendly.  But yesterday I felt a touch of depression, that old familiar darkness, something I have not struggled with much for a long time.  It reminded me how much most of us struggle at times.  My friend's statement is so very true.  When I feel happy inside it is so easy to smile, and seems so small.  But when I have been struggling, it takes great energy to smile at someone else, and a smile given from someone else impacts so much deeper. 

Years ago I went through a depression that made it hard to keep going every day.  Some of you have had similar struggles.  There are many reasons for people to struggle with depression.  I believe mine was brought on by a combination of chemical and situation.  There were many dark days when even the simplest of stresses felt completely overwhelming.  As I began to heal there were gradually good days mixed with the bad.  Eventually there were more good days than bad days, and much later mostly good days with an occasional hard day.  For those in that dark place right now, this season of the year can magnify those feelings and struggles even more.

If you are in a place where you can share your smiles easily this season, be grateful and share generously.  You will most likely never know the depth of your impact.  If you are not in a place to give in that way, just hang in there and receive generously the smiles that are shared with you.  Let them go in.  Let them shine a sliver of light inside of you. 

Of all the things you will give this season, a smile may mean more than you know.