Foolish Smiles

I love April Fools Day.  I scheme up lighthearted ways to pull a few silly pranks before everyone has had their coffee.  I usually have success until about 9 a.m. and then everyone is the wiser.  Since the window of "foolin' opportunity" is a short one, I have another idea for shedding a bit of "foolery" all day long...smile. 

The spirit of April Fools Day is laughter, joke playing and spontaneous "gotcha!"  Yet, why not keep this spirit going?  Who said we have to wait for a joke to laugh?  Where is it deemed "inappropriate" to smile even if there is no real reason to do so?  The most authentic foolishness is unprovoked and without a specific date assigned.  To smile at a stranger, brings an immediate "welcome" from you to them.  Infant studies have shown that we thrive in our development when noting a smile on the faces of our caretakers.  And, is there anything more precious and inspiring than to see a baby give you the ultimate gift of their toothless grin?

Bring out the fool in you today, perhaps not through savoring an elaborate prank or fooling anyone with a casual fib, but rather by foolishly sharing smiles everywhere you go.  Remember that song "Smile" sung by many, but I remember Nat King Cole's lilting voice...

That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

Happy Foolishly Just Smiling Day! 

What is Luck? 

March has certainly brought chilly gusts of wind and rain.  These rains seem to be hinting that any day now, the colors of Spring will be exploding on our winter canvas.  Before March gets washed away in the blooms of April, it is worth mentioning something about this very "top of the mornin'" green month. 

March always makes me think about "luck."  Who is lucky and why?  How is one person lucky and the next person considered "unlucky?"  And, when browsing through quotes on "luck" the topic is highly debated.  Some say luck is where ability and opportunity meet.  Others say that luck is elusive, coming and going.  And still others explore luck as a characteristic that some are fortunate to possess, and other sorry sods are not. 

One that stuck with me is this, by a not so Irish author, but rather a Japanese philosopher; "The day you decide to do it is your lucky day."  Which begs the question, will you make TODAY your lucky day?  And what will you DECIDE to do?  When we pair "decision" with "today", we can feel very lucky to be feeling the power of our own choice and the gratefulness of being here, in this moment.  Go ahead, get LUCKY!