“Joy’s smile is much closer to tears than laughter.”
Victor Hugo
It’s not easy to smile when you’re in the midst of a difficult situation. It’s not easy to smile when you see someone is hurting. It’s not easy to smile when you encounter injustice and inequality. It’s not easy to smile when you feel powerless, hungry and without hope.
It is not easy, but it is a bold step forward.
“And the smile that is worth the praises of earth is the smile that shines through tears.”
Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Poet
Lady Budd 
Schöne Blumen –
Die Sonne hat sich bei uns versteckt. Alles grau –
Ein schönes Wochenende wünschen wir.
LG. Wolfgang
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Wir haben mit viel regen in Vancouver. Ich nehme viele Fotografien von Blumen im Sommer. Ich schaue mir die Fotos im Winter um mich daran erinnern, dass die Sonne wird wieder kommen.
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And the smile comes more easily if there is someone to smile with you. We do smile when we are alone but it is not the same as the smile we share or exchange with another.
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I agree – when we share a smile, there are synergistic qualities. Sometimes 1 + 1 = 3
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and that’s also often when it’s most rewarding to put on a smile 🙂
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I agree – and I think that is when we move to a new dimension of understanding.
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I remember as a teacher having to send some mischievous ones to the principal for further discipline. When they returned, they often were in a grumpy mood and I felt like giving a grump right back.
But I found an attitude of …..you got your punishment and now you can start anew… PLUS a little smile usually worked pretty well. Although sometimes the smile was through gritted teeth. lol So agree a smile is not always easy.
🙂 This one was easy. 🙂
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I have felt the grit of teeth and it went hand in hand with “biting my tongue.” Thanks so much for adding to the discussion!
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Very profound!! Perhaps a smile, though extremely difficult in times of trouble or sorrow, may help to lighten the load.
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I agree. We always refer to our troubles as a “load.” When we share concerns, it really does feel like a load has come off our shoulders.
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Victor Hugo was a right, joy is closers to tear, though laughter is oft simultaneous.
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It is!!! There is such a strong connection between the two emotional forces. There is healing in both…
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