Very Serious...

I am very lucky because Ryan and I carpool and I get to enjoy the scenery most days from the passenger seat. Friday night I started looking at drivers. Lots of people on cell phones, some people singing, some smoking, but most…frowning or VERY SERIOUS! I mean, you would have thought some of these people were in a staring contest with a rival. So I paid attention again this morning on the way in. This time I saw one person on a cell phone, but everyone…I mean EVERYONE else was frowning. So I consciously made myself have a half smile the whole way in. I mean, not a big goofy grin as we drove past people or anything (which I have been known to do before…Ryan usually will honk and we both wave…it’s quite funny really), but just a half smile. I found it odd that once I put that forced half smile on my face, I started thinking about all the things I am thankful for. Thankful for Ryan. Thankful for my wonderful family. Thankful I have a job that I drive to each morning. Thankful we have a car that takes us to work each morning. Thankful for beautiful autumn mornings. Thankful I have warm clothes and a coat to put on. Thankful for so many things. And then I caught myself with a full smile. No longer forced. So I encourage each of you to this week watch yourself in the car…on your way to work, the store, dropping your kids off at school, on your way to the doctor’s office…to remind yourself to smile. You may just end up in a completely different place than you started.