A smile for all reasons.

A smile for all reasons.

I smile a lot. A fact validated by people who tell me I remind them of the grinning yellow emoticon. And yes, it stems from happiness that never seems to leave me, a bright and shining candle within that has sputtered and dimmed during the dark periods of my life, but has never relinquished my heart to the night.

Maybe its because I inherited a good set of pearly whites from my parents, imagining a toothless smile less infectious or appealing to other people. But the truth is after thirty-fine years of existence I realize that my smile is a reflection of how I choose to live my life; believing in the primacy of good in all men and the stubborn nature of hope in all things that come our way.

And I honestly think it has done me a whole lot of good, waltzing through life like some haphazard comet burning with light, trying to make other people smile and coax laughter from their hearts. Call me a clown if you want, I dont care, I was built this way from the very start.

No, I dont consider myself a comedian. But neither ca I resist dropping a good punchline here and there on anyone willing to listen. Life is already far too serious without moping and frowning people running around making each other miserable. At least that's what I believe, without prejudice or glossing over the reality that indeed, life is one endless string of challenges and problems to be confronted or to flee from.

And yes a smile here and there, regardless of timing can do wonders not only for my peace of mind but also for that of other people. Behind that smile is an acknowledgement and promise that we recognize the good in one another, an unspoken covenant between the animals that we are, that somewhere within our self-serving carcasses we have the potential to care and help one another. Which is ofcourse why I smile at total strangers, say good morning to security guards and god knows who else I meet during the course of a chaotic news weekday. A smile after all is a mark of our humanity, and a day spent being human, is well, a day truly worth living.

It warms the heart and soul when people light up the moment they see you, knowing, through experience that you'll always have a smile or a funny thing to say to them. Which makes life at work all the more pleasant and interesting in my opinion. Passion for the profession, in my case, broadcast journalism, drives one to excel, but it is the sense of family and acceptance in the newsroom that is my shelter amid the chaos of deadlines, frustrations and egos crashing into one another like the tectonic plates in the Himalayas.

Smile. Breathe. Have as many friends as possible. Smile again.

Thats not to say everyone likes me. Though i wager, with all humility, that the people who hate me are few and far in between. Nevertheless it makes little difference when i meet the people who have never said anything good about me and only exude loathing for my person. The irony of trying to be pleasant to your most rabid critics or the inexplicably querulous people who just plain hate anyone they dont understand is not lost on me. At times I question myself why i even bother to extend my humanity to such ceatures of belligerence and ill will. But that wouldn't be me. So I smile, nod and try to be friends nevertheless despite, and inspite of what they think about me. There's nothing more liberating than having someone who hates you acknowledge your existence. Which is not gloating on my part mind you, just a happy thought of the possibility that they may eventually see you as a person beyond all the baggage and misconceptions they chose to blind themselves with.

I suspect there may even be people who think my bright disposition to be a mark of stupidity which would not be so far-fetched from the perspective of those so immersed in their own negativity. For how can one possibly be happy in world with so much anger, frustration and failed dreams? But then its the same world after all is it not? What's there not to be happy about? I'm a provincial lad from a small-town university who somehow managed to find employment in one of the country's biggest television networks. I've embraced industry, made friends, met people, struggled with stage fright and failed auditions on a regular basis throughout my 10 year career. And now fate has given me a bit of a break, a better salary and a chance to do on-cam work. Not to mention a beautiful wife, two good-looking boys and true friends. Am I happy? You fricking bet I am!

At times I wonder if the uncontrollable optimism hints of mental sickness, perhaps an errant gene or psychotic disposition to bring or see levity in all aspects of existence. For the smile, like the light that fuels it, is tightly wound around my heart and if it fades, so does the whole flicker, dim and falter. Which makes my life a constant search for happiness, to see the light in the darkest of days, be the man for all seasons and pursue everything with industry but still be the bearer of a smile for whatever reason.