SMILE! It’s an LLBC post!

This is a Late Loose Bloggers’ Consortium blog post. Late, that is, in terms of time not of life or its cessation. Now isn’t that something to smile about? I am still around as are the rest of the consortium, namely:Anu, Ashok, Conrad, Delirious, gaelikaa, Noor, Padmini, Ramana, Rohit, The Silver Fox Whispers, The Student Diaries, Will ,Nema, Paul , Plain Joe and Grannymar all of whom have smiled.

Over 20 years ago now, a colleague wondered aloud, “How do you keep smiling? You have so much trouble in your life.”

I had not been working in that particular job for long and the head teacher had let it be known that my wife was ill. The only answer I had was that whilst I was at work I was away from any problems and anyway, there were worse scenarios possible.

Obviously an impression had been made.

We had portraits of the boys drawn by a local woman whose daughter  I had taught and who had been our major baby sitter. Later she asked to be allowed to draw a portrait of me. Things were not that easy but I said okay. It was the first session and suddenly our artist threw down her materials and burst into tears,”I can’t do it! You’ve stopped smiling.”

I hadn’t realised how important my smile was. Worrying.

Nowadays, I try to smile for anyone I meet and when I get a smile in return it is very gratifying. However I do have a nice line in  gloom which can be very amusing, for me…after all, it is hard work being cheerful and smiling all the time.

So, forgive me if from time to time I don’t smile.