Wanted: A January Smile

Today was just about perfect!  Although it is still January, today most was a bright, sunny day.  Temperatures almost reached 70 degrees here in Nashville.  Winter is not over, but today gave us a glimpse of the promise of spring!

My seniors have been working on observations for a writing project.  These involved off campus trips to observe a variety of people in a natural environment.  For most of my classes, this meant a local shopping mall.  (One early class went to Cracker Barrel to observe while enjoying biscuits and gravy!)  Our goal was to observe visible characteristics and traits that will serve as the basis for a character story development.  I've always been a people watcher, so I got into it as much as my students!

As I observed by students observing others today, I was reminded just how little we really know by observations.  Of course, we can observe physical things--clothing, hair coloring, physical features.  We can observe other social appearances such as friendliness, happiness, or sadness.  We can assume these are accurate, but we really have no way of truly knowing what may really be going on in another person's life.  We assume our co-workers, fellow students, and family members are fine, and living life to the best of their ability.  We pass judgment on others based on what we see.  Our perceptions are our reality in so much of life. 

Earlier this week, I watched a news report about a prayer vigil for two teenagers who recently committed suicide in the Nashville area.  According to family members, these two young lives were lost as a result of depression over bullying.  Two weeks ago, a senior at another area high school also chose to end her life because she felt her life was worthless.  Last week, a dear friend of mine, chose to end her life because the depression with which she had been dealing simply overtook her.  So many lives lost and seemingly without cause. 

I once heard that more suicides are completed in January than any other month.  The long dreary days of winter can sometimes cause physical illness and depression  There is also a let-down following the holidays, particularly when those holiday bills arrive in the mailbox!  Many spouses file for divorce as the new year begins.  Life seems too much to handle.  January always holds a sadness for me because, in 1984, my dear father chose to end his own life while in an irrational state of depression.  Just last year, my cousin died in the same way.  Ryan was a great young man with a young family.  Gone from us way too soon, as result of a depression just too much to overcome.  

And so, as I sat in the mall with my students today, I thought about all of the people walking by.  The mothers with young children; the grandmothers and grandfathers;  the teenagers in baggy pants.  I wondered if any of them had an internal gloom that was almost unbearable.  A gloom that was far darker and deeper than the bright, beautiful sunshine outside.  I wondered if a smile or an encouraging word could brighten a day in their life.  Certainly a smile wouldn't take all the bad away, but it certainly couldn't hurt!  I found myself smiling and speaking to some of them--just a smile in passing.  It felt good, and they smiled back at me. 

None of us knows the true lives of many around us.  Let's try to resolve to pass along a smile or a word of kindness to all with whom we come in contact.  A small, genuine act of love and kindness can make a huge difference in a life filled with despair and hopelessness.   Let's resolve not to pass judgment on others.  Let's love others as Christ loved us--unconditionally.  Let's let others see Christ living in us and through us in our words, our actions, and in our smiles!  You will never really know the good that smile may do!