“I believe joy is a way of life, something that you practice day in and day out. You see, joy and happiness start with you. You cannot hold others responsible for making you happy. Happiness never begins outside of you; it begins inside you. Happiness resides not in possessions, not in achievements and not in wealth, or rewards; it lives within the inward power of the soul.

Happiness consists of you being okay with yourself and being able to effectively deal with life challenges that are thrown at you, the unexpected and the unwanted. I have learned in my short time here on this planet, that there are certain things in life, that I don't have control over. But, in spite of those painful, discouraging, frustrating, and stressful circumstances, I can still live a happy life. I can still smile if I want to, I can still laugh if I want to, I can still dance if I want to. You see, this may sound crazy to some, but that’s okay, we all have different perspectives and beliefs about things.

While we all have high points and low points in life, we do not have to allow our low points to rob us of our happiness. When life deals you a bad hand of cards while playing spades, you have two choices, you can grumble and show your hand, or you can smile. I choose to smile, because that fakes out the other team.

 So, when life throws you the unexpected, don’t run, don’t cry, don’t grumble, but smile, because there is power in the smile.  When I look in the mirror, and I see a smile on my face, it gives me an inner peace in the depths of my soul, and the strength to say, I can and will overcome this challenge. When I smile, it gives me the confidence to walk purposefully throughout my day. When I smile, it brings happiness to others. When I smile, it let me know that finally, I am moving forward. So, take today and rehearse your smile.” Uncle Paul (Paul Steven Smith)