Don't Worry .. Be Happy!

There is just something so magical about the transparent, genuine smile of a child. There is no inhibition or restraint, just pure bliss.

In 1988, Bobby McFerrin, Jr. recorded a song that made it to #1 on the billboard, Don't Worry, Be Happy. The song was awarded Grammy's Song of the Year and the album, Simple Pleasures, won Album of the Year.

I actually googled "smiley face." The top entries listed were related to the little yellow smiley face which displays nothing more than two small dots for eyes and a slight curve for a mouth. Often times the words "HAVE A HAPPY DAY!" will accompany this little face. There is a large debate over the originator of that face, but the fact remains, that particular "smiley face" is bigger than ELVIS and very much alive! Smiley Face is frequently on buttons, posters, t-shirts, beach towels, mugs, greeting cards and earrings.

Smiles are contagious. Some are lopsided. Some are crooked. Some are down-right frightening. Smiles can be weary or weathered. But then there are those smiles that are full of energy and electricity and just make you smile when you see it... like the one in that photo!

The one thing that we all have in common about our particular "smile" is that we control those "smile" muscles. As we grow older we may need a bladder tact due to muscle issues or we may have under-arm "bat wings" as a result of lazy muscle tissue, but those little smile muscles are faithful. With minimum daily use, a smile can ease the heaviest burden of a distraught friend. It can make the wait at a fast food drive-through a little more bearable. It can say "your special" without uttering a word.


Psalm 42:11 (The Message)
"Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God."