SMILE

 

Smile- Nat King Cole

Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by

If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the Sun come shining through, for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
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'll just smile

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'll just smile

 

This morning I woke up with this song playing in my “inner radio.” My “inner radio” wakes me up with a new tune. Sometimes happy; sometimes sad. I guess this is how my subconscious wakes me up to face the day and carry on. Even if I listen to other songs along the day, the one I wake up to plays on and on until the following morning. (The other day I woke I to “Just a Gigolo by David Lee Roth – go figure. It made me laugh and I hummed it throughout the day.)

As I opened my bedroom window this morning, there was the moon smiling back at me – a coincidence? I don´t believe in coincidences but that everything is connected, and events happen - be them positive or negative - when they need to happen. Perhaps we can call it serendipity. My “inner radio” was playing Smile and the moon was smiling back at me. Did I wake up sad?

“Smile what´s the use of crying”… to me, crying is extremely helpful. It alleviates the pain. It is as if with each tear drop, the anger, frustration or sadness leaves my body, and rolls down my cheeks, freeing my system from negative vibes. To be honest, it has been a while since I have cried a good cry – sobbing and letting it all pour out.

“When there are clouds in the sky/ You'll get by.” Thinking about it unemotionally, there are many clouds in the sky, not directly over my head, but over the heads of those who are connected to me somehow – diseases, terminal illnesses, poverty, hunger; so on and so forth. I am like a little sponge that can absorb the emotions around me. You´d think that at this advanced age (looks can be deceiving) I would have learned by now how to close myself up to the energy surrounding me.

I guess I am what they call, nowadays, an empath. It is defined as a person highly attuned to the feelings and emotions of those around them. Empaths feel what another person is feeling at a deep emotional level. Their ability to discern what others are feeling goes beyond empathy, which is defined simply as the ability to understand the feelings of others. (“What Is an Empath and How Do You Know If You Are One? - Very well Mind”) Instead, being an empath extends to truly taking those feelings on. By doing this, empaths end up feeling drained at the end of the day. Some have trouble sleeping and even suffer from mental well-being.

The part of the song, “You'll find that life is still worthwhile /If you'll just smile,” is something I would like to say to all of those who find themselves under dark clouds. Smile! It´ll send a positive message to your brain. Life is not easy, and I genuinely believe that it was not meant to be, however, no matter how difficult it may be, it is still worthwhile.

The opposite can also be effective. Smile at people when you cross their paths. It can be a life changer.

 Written: May 16, 2023

 

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