Jay Jay's Thoughts Your Reactions: SAY CHEESE!

Jay Jay's Thoughts Your Reactions: SAY CHEESE!: “Say CHEESE!” By Jay Jay Speaks May 16, 2012 The Rude Boys sang a song in 1993 entitled It’s “Written All Over Your Face.” The op...

SAY CHEESE!

“Say CHEESE!”

By Jay Jay Speaks

May 16, 2012

The Rude Boys sang a song in 1993 entitled It’s “Written All Over Your Face.” The opening went like this,

It's written all over your face. You don't have to say a word. Just smile a smile a smile.  A smile for me

It's better than any word I ever heard.

And in the 1980’s R&B duo Hall & Oates sang a song called, “Sara Smile” Baby hair with a woman's eyes. I can feel you watching in the night. All alone with me and we're waiting for the sunlight. When I feel cold you warm me. When I feel I can't go on you come and hold me. It's you and me forever. Sara smile, won't you smile a while for me, Sara.

Lastly teenage sensation Shanice  sang, Sitting in my class, just drifting away Staring into the windows of the world I can't hear the teacher, his books don't call me at all I don't see the bad boys tryin' to catch some play...cause I love your smile I love your smile, in her 1991 teen classic “ I Love Your Smile.”

You all can probably think of 10 more songs that involve smiles, smiling, or wanting to see someone smile. When we sing or think about these songs they make us feel good. For anyone my age I’m sure these songs take you back to an earlier time, a more innocent time and a time when SMILING came more naturally. Perhaps the songs remind you of a time when smiling was easier, before the pressures and strain of adulthood, parenthood and your neighborhood began to wear you down. Perhaps you remember a simpler time, a time when a smile formed quicker and stayed longer on your face before you had to worry about so many other people and so many other things.

I just wanted to remind myself and you that we can’t forget to SMILE. Sometimes we have to just make time to smile. Despite the pressures and pain, the heartbreak and heartache of life, even in the midst of hard times and hardship we still need to find a reason to smile.  There is something almost magical that happens when we smile. When we smile, we find ourselves on the precipice of laughter. Maybe it’s because the corners of our mouths are already assuming the laughing position. Or maybe it’s because our heart gets the heads up that we can release those burdens, if but for a moment.

I can remember finding a reason to smile the day of my father’s funeral. I remember that evening after the service my mother wanted all of us kids to go to the beach, a place my father and her liked to go to watch the sunset. My mother said that my dad came to her in a dream the night before and told her she’d know he was ok when she saw a rainbow.  As we drove to the beach it was slightly overcast that Florida day. Arriving at the beach the sun was a little lower than we’d hoped and it didn’t seem like we’d see much. I excused myself and went to the restroom. I had been standing with my mom for the better part of an hour just trying to be close to her to comfort her. I could see on her face she was waiting, wishing and wanting to see a rainbow. She wanted to know that my dad was okay where he was after leaving us a few days before. As I came out of the restroom skies I saw something in the sky,  through the cloudy twilight. No it wasn’t a rainbow, at least not the kind we traditionally see on the Lucky Charms cereal box. What I saw was a cluster of dark clouds in the sky with light emanating from behind it. What I could see was a rainbow of colors bursting from around the cluster of clouds. I called my mom on her cell phone because she was looking in the other direction. She was looking in the direction of the open sky and ocean.  I said, “Mom there’s Pop’s rainbow.” “Where?” she asked,” I said look to your right that cluster of clouds.” “I don’t see anything” she replied.  “I said Pop never did anything the normal way, he always had to be difficult and stubborn. Look at what is coming out from around those clouds.” My mother looked and saw a rainbow of colors bursting out from behind the clouds as if a color bomb had exploded. As she began to say something to me on the phone, I saw it. I saw the rainbow that I was looking for, I saw my mom smile, even in the midst of burying her husband of 41 years.

My mother’s smile warmed my broken heart. Her smile led to a chuckle. Her chuckle led to a laugh. She began talking to my dad and thanked him for letting her know he was okay.

Today, tomorrow and everyday find a reason to crack a smile. Not that phony workplace smile as you say, “Good morning” to a co-worker but a real smile. Smile when you hear the laughter of children. Smile when a gentle breeze blows past you. Smile when you see a picture of your family on your desk. Smile by thinking of your favorite song or poem. Find a reason to smile because sometimes it’s those little reasons and those little smiles that will get you through life’s BIG DISAPPOINTMENTS AND DISASTERS.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY MOM! i’M NOT WISHING YOU A BELATED MOTHER’S DAY BECAUSE EVERYDAY IS MOTHER’S DAY. I LOVE YOU!

Smile today. Don’t wait until Monday, do it today.