Why do I smile?

I smile because I choose to express and reflect the joy I look for in the world around me.

My smile doesn't mean I don’t have pain, sorrow, or disappointment in my life. On the contrary, it is because of the amount of negativity I find in this world, that I choose not to let it have dominion over my mind, my soul or my life.

Too often people seem to get hung up on the bad things in their lives. We have all seen, felt and heard terrible things, and no one enjoys them when they do. Those who seem to relish in sharing the negative events in their lives, or pointing out the terrible things in the lives of others, are in my opinion, missing the whole point of this journey we all share from womb to tomb. We aren’t here to indulge ourselves in experiencing or inflicting pain, but to transcend the bullshit that is all around us, and not only rise above it, but help others rise above it as well.

So if you want someone to share your negative energy with, I’m sorry—you won’t find me available.

I will hold your hand as you travel from painful grief to bittersweet nostalgia, from devastating loss to reluctant acceptance, and from the misery of heartache to the realization of self-love; if however, you choose to become bitter, instead of striving to be better, our paths will quickly diverge.

My smile doesn’t mean I am always happy, it simply means I hope you are happier after we have interacted than you were beforehand. If I can help you to find something to smile about too, I need no further reason.

In the end, I smile because I choose to.