
A smile can change your day. You probably heard the riddle “What is the longest word in the dictionary?” The answer is “smiles” because there is a mile between the two “ses.” A smile is a universal language and called the cornerstone of our social fabric. Smiling has several positive effects. Research shows that it even prolongs your life. How? The physical act stimulates your brain to put you in a good mood, and happier people tend to live longer.
The Smithsonian Magazine has a whole article devoted to smiling.
Smiling is virtuous. Saint Teresa of Calcutta said, “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” It signals friendship.
A Smile’s Other Positive Effects
A Smile Promotes Health
You smile when you are happy, but you can also make an artificial smile, as when you say, “Cheese,” for a photo. It makes no difference if your smile is genuine or faked, it tricks your mind and makes you healthier. Smiling reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and boosts your immune system. It releases the happy hormones and so functions as an antidepressant. It can even reduce pain.
A Smile Is Contagious
Try smiling at the clerk at the checkout counter and see that this is true. Likewise, when someone smiles at you, you smile back. A smile forms a bond between people.
A Smile Brings Beauty to Your Face
A smile lightens up a face and makes you look more youthful, a natural Botox. Therefore it makes you more attractive. People assume you are a good person. Frowns and scowls do the opposite. Smiling also makes you look competent.
A Smile Encourages
Smiling puts people at ease. Once when I ended up the leader of a procession in a large church, I was nervous and unsure about what to do. As I walked down the aisle toward the bishop seated in the front, he smiled broadly, instantly calming me.
A Smile Makes You More Confident
Here’s a tip: Smile at yourself in the mirror. It has the same physical and mental effects as smiling at someone else, especially if you accompany it with positive self-talk. By the way it was found that children smile 400 times a day while adults average 20 a day. I wonder how those numbers were arrived at!
The Most Authentic Smile
The most pleasing smile is one that makes the corners of your eyes wrinkle with crow’s feet. It involves two sets of muscles: the ones that lift the corners of your mouth and the ones that lift your cheeks. This is called a genuine or Duchenne smile, named for a 19th century scientist who mapped the muscles of the human body. It makes for true enjoyment. By the way, turning a frown upside down to form a smile may not really require more muscles. It’s not known how many muscles are involved in a smile. It depends on the kind of smile.
Here is a short video of a happy baby that is sure to bring a smile to your face: https://youtu.be/KSyCeCK-wCE?si=Yi-bmX3rv_qexAs-
Smiling in Photographs

In photos from olden days, people are not smiling. There are several theories about the reason for this. One is that people considered smiling in a photo undignified. Another is that people had bad teeth. (I can identify with this. For my First Communion photos, I couldn’t smile because my front teeth were in great need of braces!) In religious art, Jesus is seldom depicted laughing or smiling. Here is a rare one:

A Smiling Emoji

In the 1960s an insurance company commissioned Harvey Ross Ball was commissioned to create an image to boost its employees’ morale. Ball did it in ten minutes and was paid $45. In the 1970s, brothers who owned two Hallmark shops copyrighted the iconic face. In France a journalist trademarked the design, called it Smiley and founded the Smiley Company. Lawsuits ensued.
Now smiley faces are ubiquitous. I just added one to a text yesterday.

Our Smiling Saint
Saint Julie Billiart, the spiritual mother of us Sisters of Notre Dame, despite terrific sufferings, smiled a lot. In her village, when she was a young woman who cared for others, people dubbed her “The Saint Who Smiles.”
Songs about Smiling
The lyrics to Charlie Chaplin’s song “Smile” make sense:
Smile tho’ 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 ev’ry trace of sadness,
Altho’ 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 just smile.
There are two more popular songs about smiling. Bing Crosby recorded the song “Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella.”
And Frank Sinatra gave us this one:
• When has someone’s smile brightened your day?