Exchanging Smiles in Rockland Maine

“If in our daily life we can smile,

If we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will

profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.”

Thich Nhat Hahn 

I had just sat down on a bench in the shade when a loud truck horn blared

right next to me and startled me. I looked up and must have smiled

because a woman walking by, smiled at me, and said 

“You have such a nice smile!”

I smiled even bigger. Now it came from my heart and included

smiling with my eyes too. I thanked her for her kind words.

I guess the moral of this story is:  practice

smile asana, lion’s roar and face

yoga. Exercise all our smile muscles

on a regular basis. After all, smiling

compliments don't happen that often, now do they?

bd burton, 7/23/25