World Smile Day

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By Diane Forrest

I've got something in my pocket, it belongs across my face.

I keep it very close at hand, in a most convenient place.

I'm sure you couldn't guess it if you guessed a long, long while.

So I'll take it out and put it on, it's a Great Big Brownie Smile!

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This is the only song I remember singing during my Brownie Scout days.  I still hum it occasionally; it always reminds me to smile.  My husband loved the movie Forrest Gump.  This movie depicted several scenes from historic times in the country.  One of the scenes, while Forrest is running across the country, a man walks up to him and asks for a money making idea.  At that time a car comes by and splashes mud and water all over Forrest's face.  The man offers him a bright yellow tee shirt to wipe his face, and the result was the famous smiley face logo.

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The Smiley Face picture was invented by Mr. Harvey Ball in 1963.  That image went on to become the most recognizable symbol of good will and good cheer on the planet.   According to worldsmileday.com, "Harvey Ball became concerned about the over-commercialization of his symbol, and how its original meaning and intent had become lost in the constant repetition of the marketplace. Out of that concern came his idea for World Smile Day. He thought that we, all of us, should devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout the world. The smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no religion. Harvey’s idea was that for at least one day each year, neither should we. He declared that the first Friday in October each year would henceforth be World Smile Day. Ever since that first World Smile Day held in 1999, it has continued every year in Smiley's hometown of Worcester, MA and around the world."

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So today and every day, why not spread some smiles around!