Who Makes You Smile?

Have you ever really thought about your smile?

I don’t just mean flashing those polished white teeth for the world to see—but the why behind it. When do you smile? And more importantly…who makes you smile?

They say smiling boosts both your physical and mental health. It reduces stress, releases endorphins, lifts your mood, and even strengthens your relationships. That’s a lot of power packed into one simple expression.

And yet…

We don’t walk around smiling all day, do we?

I know I don’t. When I’m driving, painting, reading, or just lost in thought, my face is pretty neutral. Matter of fact, if I’m not paying attention, I’ve been told I have that dreaded RBF—you know, resting…well…you get the idea. Not exactly the look I’m going for! It’s enough to make me quickly remember, “Okay…smile a little!”

But this isn’t really about how we smile.

It’s about who brings that smile to life.

The One Who Makes Me Smile

You see, there’s someone in my life who has a special talent for that.

His name is Ken.

He’s not just good to me—he’s unusually good to me. The kind of good that makes you stop and think, Wow…how did I get so lucky?

We’ve shared so many adventures together. Cruises (my favorite!), little day trips, weekend getaways, baseball games, theater outings—you name it. It doesn’t even matter where we go, because wherever we are, we’re having fun.

And somewhere in between all of that…

He makes me smile.

Sometimes it’s his silly sayings.

Sometimes it’s his little jokes.

And yes…sometimes those jokes don’t quite land the way he hoped! 😄

But honestly, that’s part of the charm.

After all, he grew up in a small town in southern Illinois, and I’m a Bronx-and-Yonkers, NY girl. Let’s just say our sense of humor doesn’t always speak the same language. What he finds hilarious, I might just raise an eyebrow at—and vice versa.

But even then…he still makes me smile.

The Little Moments

Some of my favorite smiles come from the simplest things.

Like riding around our community in our new golf cart. We stop and chat with neighbors, catch up on the latest happenings, and yes—occasionally shake our heads at some of the “creative” driving choices out there. Some moments are a little dangerous…others are downright funny.

And then there’s Friday nights.

The Elks Lodge.

Dinner, drinks, music, and dancing. It’s our happy place. Our friends are there, and we always seem to meet new ones. There’s laughter in the air, music in the background, and a whole lot of smiling going on.

It’s one of those places where you can just be—and that alone is enough to bring a smile to your face.

The Heart of It All

Life isn’t perfect.

People aren’t perfect.

Ken isn’t perfect—and neither am I.

There are moments of frustration, little annoyances, and the occasional eye roll. But underneath it all is something steady, something real.

Happiness.

And every single day, I remind myself: