A Wish on Wednesday (Follow Your Heart) ~03/31/10

Happy Wednesday everyone and welcome to the last day of March.

The month here at least was a sharp contrast to our wintery months of February and January. Glad for that here as I sure you are. What will April bring? Rain I am sure the old saying that April showers brings May flowers holds true we can all attest to that. So enjoy this last day in March and take some time to reflect on your actions, deeds, what magic may have come into your life and what magic you made for another's life.

How did you make a difference in March?

Today, I take the time to write about what could be if we focused on some aspect and tried to develop a strong habit or focus.

I write about a simple phrase "Follow your Heart". What does it mean to follow ones heart? What does the heart really have to do with our mind? What can we do to help, focus and address the issues of the or our heart? Good questions are they not?

Next week I want to take a few days and write about What is wrong with many hearts and what is wrong with our world because of it. I want to take a few days to get you to think about some things, jostle a few thoughts awake and stir some direction to how we as a small group could change some hearts, turn them from anger, rage, blame to forgiveness, acceptance and Love. So starting Monday I will take the week to share some ideas' and previous follies our heart has made. It will be of my thoughts on the the fall of the heart and what is wrong with so many parts of our world because of it.

But for today a few thoughts this easter week on the phrase "follow your heart".

What does it mean to follow ones heart?

The heart and soul is very connected to our brain and thoughts.

We often talk about our dreams and goals, our passions and desires and often we place them from the heart. Do we often skip the mind and just follow our heart? Or do we even skip our heart and follow our thoughts? Which is right?

Aristotle wrote the following:

Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.

Another quote that rings true by Robert Tizon:

I would rather have eyes that cannot see; ears that cannot hear; lips that cannot speak, than a heart that cannot love.

To follow your heart to listen to your soul and spirit is a gift we should develop and all think about.

To make a difference, to share a smile, to improve on a social condition, to take the time to allow God to flow through your soul and spirit to help another.

So what can we do to help , focus and address the issues of the and our heart?

That is for Thursday's Post, we will take a look at that but for now take the time to look inside your heart. Your soul and spirit are just as connected to your mind and understand and think about the quote that follows:

A flower without a stem, is beauty waiting to die.

A heart without love, is a tear waiting to cry.

-- Octavio Paz

Till next time smile, share a smile and take time to follow your heart.....

www make me smile online dot com

Giving Thanks on Tuesday ~03/30/10

Happy Tuesday everyone! Sunshine returns to Pittsburgh after a couple of rainy days.

Temps will only climb into the 50's but spring has arrived and is doing very well. The birds are singing here and the sound is sweet.

So what are you giving thanks for today Easter Tuesday? Easter is a time to reflect. Reflect not on what candy we bought the kids last year, or what eggs colored well or did not. But to reflect on what makes us all stronger, wiser.

These are my three.

Faith ~ we all need to trust and have faith in God, our Creator, on the dollar the words in God we Trust symbolizes that belief. But it is more than that.

The daily walk, our daily prayers and desires are met with the word faith.

Hope ~ This word to me is my belief in each other, in man, in our ability to make things better because of the free will God has given to each of us. We are not robots, we have a soul, a spirit to walk as we will and think and act as we may. But to have hope in sharing values of givings, sharing, being of service. That is what hope means to me. The gift of a smile to a perfect stranger, to someone who just may need it more than you.

Love ~ Yes the greatest of these is love, not just from the bible these 3 words are words that I am thankful for. Virtues that together make up what I am grateful for this Tuesday.

The love that not only grows inside but surrounds us all. The love that fills our spirit, our soul and tops off our existence. Love the greatest of all, to be loved, to share love, to rely not just on our abilities to carry on but the ability to give love to another.

These 3 simple words, Faith ~ Hope ~ and Love !

Thats what I am thankful for today.

How about your faith?

Your hope? and your love? How do you impact these words, how do they impact you.

Something to think about this Tuesday the next to the last day of March.

Have a great Tuesday!

Till next time....Share that smile and fill your life with smiles till they overflow.

www make me smile online dot com

Monday Morning Wisdom ~ 03/29/10

Happy Monday everyone! I hope this week Easter Week is a good one for you. The first week of April and the last week in March.

Out with March memories and in with April showers that will bring May flowers.

This week began with Palm Sunday and ends with Good Friday and Easter Sunday that follows.

Some quotes on Easter:

Easter is the demonstration of God that life is essentially spiritual and timeless. ~Charles M. Crowe

~~~~~~~~~

We live and die; Christ died and lived! ~John Stott

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life. ~

S.D. Gordon

How true, this week lets us celebrate the beauty of new life. Given not by the Easter chocolates that we will pass out or consume. The countless eggs that we boil and color with artistic fervor but for the real reason to share these joyous holiday.

May you all be blessed this holiday season.

May you all share that smile and gift of life with another who just may need that smile.

Easter week is upon us. May you look to the heavens and give thanks.

Share that joy of the heart. Set aside past bitterness and fear.

Look to your future as one that you indeed control. That is what is really life is intended to be.

A life of service.

A life that gives more than it takes.

Give Thanks! Give Love!

The magic will happen and flow from there. Like lightening it flashes into our lives we just have to know when to recognize the promise and possibilities that lay before us.

Till next time....Share that joy, that love that promise of Easter and that smile that rises with the spirit of all that witness its magic.

A smile, simple yet profound.

www make me smile online dot com

Some Thoughts on a Sunday ~ 03/28/10

Happy Sunday everyone I hope your weekend has been full of joy, and I hope shared expression. Whether sharing that expression with a gentle smile, a kind word, a detailed letter or email. Take the time to express your thoughts, express your feelings.

That is a very special thing to do here on Gather. We take the time to express our feelings, our news, our photographs. We take time to comment, leave our mark not matter how many notice or comment. The mark is made, the expression and impression left by a simple submission.

The thoughts I leave with you today is to never ever fear to leave your expression behind.

Leave your mark, make someone smile. Share a laugh even if your the cause of the laughter.

So what, life goes on. Anyone who can laugh at themselves at any moment has the ability to share, care, live and love.

Never take the time to be critical of your self. You are wasting precious energy and instead of making a difference you are burning energy on something that has past.

Learn from your mistakes. Learn from it but do not dwell or put yourself down for it is misguided passion to do so.

Live a life of passion. For the only regret that you can leave is not sharing that passion with another.

Just some thoughts for today.

Hope you enjoy your Sunday. Take time share a smile, share your expression and leave an impression for others to enjoy.

Till next time.....Share, Care and Smile!

www make me smile online dot com

Saturday Morning Reflection ~ 03/27/10

Happy Saturday everyone and yes the weekend is here! Yeah!!! HIP HIP HORAY!

Yesterday I wrote of 2 small words, What IF.

The perspective in these was not to be in past tense, looking back on missed opportunities but to look with a future sense of what if I shared more smiles.

What if I did not allow another persons opinion of me to bother me.

What if I said and meant never again will I pick up another cigarette unless I really like smoke filling my lung with harmful long term effects. A note I know that it is hard to smoke. My father died from lung failure and his father too. I have never smoked, thanks to my dad having a pack of Camel non filters in the basement. The taste made me wonder What If I started how could stand that taste. Bla....I almost got sick. Two puffs, the rest is history.

So my What if's cover many future based moments in our life. They can cover so many empowering notions.

What if is not just two words it is a mantra, or a start of a phrase that can lead you to better things.

What if I started a Gratitude Journal?

What if I looked into the eyes of someone I really cared about and told them why?

What if ?

So take the time to spend time with the ones you love. Spend some time thinking about the possibilities not the limitations.

A quote about the two little words:

You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

~Wayne Gretzky

and

Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.

~Author Unknown

Lastly a video I want to share from April 2009 I didn't post it on Gather till now but it was posted on Make ME Smile Online. I hope you enjoy its message today.

Take time to enjoy the 'What IF's' in your life.

Take time to make a difference.

Till next time.....Smile and share that one smile with one who has none!

www make me smile online dot com

Flowing into Friday ~ 03/26/10

Good day end Happy Friday everyone! The end of the week and the start of the weekend is almost here, and I hope you have some good things planned. The weather here has a chill with some chance of flurries but only a 45 degree high. It happens!

I wanted to focus on two words today to focus on and ask yourself.

I like to write about how we all can "Make a Difference", first in our own lives and personal development and then turn into helping others and improve their state of being.

Sometimes when we help others of course the person helped the most is ourselves. We gain a sense of accomplishment and contribution which own its own stimulates our growth.

The two words:

What If ?

These words are often used to focus on the past, regrets and how things could or should have been. The context often is empty, and long for change that stands still, thats not the context I want to speak about today.

My vision and my mission is always to take our thoughts to a hope of possibility. To focus on gratitude for things we have know makes our future moments that much easier to grasp or should I say allow to flow in our direction.

What if instead of chasing our dreams we allowed our dreams to chase and catch us?

We often get wrapped up in the race of life, chasing what others have taught us. We go to sporting events pay over priced #1 fingers to put on our hands and shout and scream for nothing less than to be #1. We go to the earliest grade of school, scratch that pre school and day care and tell our kids how they should be better than the boy or girl over there.

What if instead of forcing others to conform to our ideals we tried to understand their ideals?

How many wars do we fight, arguments do we shout over just to get our ideas and beliefs onto a person across the way. We shout over them and their words try to out maneuver our words, constant battle. We often agree to disagree and walk away but yet often worse we battle on. Wasting valuable resources and love amongst the greatest resource just to push upon our idea of right and wrong.

What if we have the best things in life right now and yet turn that deck of cards over to someone else?

So many times we use our resources and discard them way before there life is done. They could be a solid item or one of pure imagination but we give up just when the idea was to develop and spread its wings. We often, you and me both let that rope go when if we held on and pulled a little harder we not only would have progressed further we may even have bettered our life from its outcome. What if we tried one last time?

What if we smiled more at ourselves in that mirror of life instead of picking away at our confidence?

The lowest form of self confidence is when we allow ourselves to bully any chance of happiness for our self. We can't and should never allow our feelings to tear away at our own foundation. In that mirror and behind those eyes is our spirit and our soul. The core value of your life is in that mirror don't ever criticize or put down that person. It may be done by others but really what do you care what another persons view of you is if you can love the person in the mirror for what they want to share with others. A simple smile can be effective and improve not only another persons view of the moment, of this moment it can improve your own view and inner peace.

What if.... A question that can be asked in so many ways.

What if you lived each day with passion what if today was your last day?

A song and video from Nickelback enjoy:

So today take those two words and think about your what if's not from the past but for your future.

Enjoy your Friday and your What if's!

Till next time let your smile light your path.....

www make me smile online dot com

Positive Thought Thursday ~03/25/10

Happy Thursday everyone! March is winding to a close, as is this week. So how has your week progressed? What have you focused on? Have good thoughts dominated your thought process.

My day starts every morning with a stretch of the body, a morning thought of gratitude, a quiet moment of prayer for the day and my morning coffee.

Then I start to type this post and let my thoughts flow of what I want to convey. Till my keys start to click on the keyboard I don't really have clue, I just let it roll.

Positive thoughts dominate my morning, the beautiful sounds of birds singing, the morning school bus picking up my daughter for school. Sometimes just quietness sounds so sweet.

I strongly recommend Dr. Wayne Dyer's book 'The Shift". He writes about many things that can open up our thoughts into a new way of thinking. He rights about the EGO he labels it as (Edging God Out) and how our first 9 months we just flow through the birth cycle and then the word ambition comes into play only from other outside persons as we develop.

How true, we just flowing through our early birthing process, no real influence from others it just happens. Then all of a sudden our parents, day care providers, friends, relatives have other agenda's for us. See the change of flow and direction.

The key to your happiness is to focus on what your grateful for, acknowledge gratitude. Let life's moments present themselves to you instead of you chasing them.

Allow life to express its presence to you.

Allow God to show you the good that he has created.

Allow your spirit to flow with others instead of in competition with everyone.

Stop, listen, deep breath, smile from the heart.

Not a bad positive thought for today.

Till next time....Smile and let go of all your ego-

don't edge God out of your life.

www make me smile online dot com

A Wish on Wednesday ~03/24/10

Happy Wednesday everyone. I hope you week has been a blessed one filled with more than a few smiles and I hope you have joy in your spirit.

Every so often things happen that you can't explain, both good and not so good things.

We have all had moments that everything just clicks, we say and do the right things.

Then of course there are other moments when its just the opposite. Much of it is perception of the moment, we are letting some underlying feeling get into our perception of how things are happening and how they are being viewed is all our perception.

Our reality is just that ours. Others may and probably are perceiving things much differently at times.

John Lennon had this quote on the subject:

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.

William Blake also on perception:

"If the Doors of Perception were cleansed everything would appear to man

as it truly is - infinite."

The last quote by Martha Graham is one we all should think about as well:

"What people in the world think of you is really none of your business."

If we could all understand that true reality lives but often in our mind and the mind of others the perception of reality is all that exists.

So my wish for everyone whether it be a good day or bad you start to perceive it all as good and define this moment as better.

From stubbing your toe, to burning your toast, let it go, don't dwell, "stuff happens".

From a flood raging in our mind of bad news, "stuff happens", let it go.

From Health Care Reform to some maniac on the highway, let it go, "stuff happens".

Don't just wander around mindless, thats not what I am saying at all here. But let it go, acknowledge what you can control, watch and observe what you can't. Don't react to information that you can't really control.

So the next time you get angry, or think something is going all wrong.

Stop, take a deep breathe and know everything is going to fine if we let it be fine.

It will be stay happy and until next time.....Smile and share one with another.

www make me smile online dot com

Giving Thanks on Tuesday ~03/23/10

Happy Tuesday everyone, a great day to take some a little time to share what your grateful for today. One tool I suggest that works, a gratitude journal, it gives you a quick way to log and reflect what is going on that makes you feel gratitude and takes very little time to utilize.

So what gives you that feeling of gratitude? Your health? Your children? A special someone in your life?

What makes you want to smile when you first think about it?

A memory from the past?

A reflection of a recent shared moment?

Living a life of gratitude is probably the best single thing you can do that will enhance your emotions. It will simplify that smile, expand your level of joy and create a lasting expression of contentment which will allow you to live in the moment instead of worry for the future.

There is little that we can do to change the news.

Change political history or make a recent disaster go away except clean it up.

Thats about it.

A quote from James Russel Lowell:

Let us be of good cheer, remembering that the misfortunes hardest to bear are those which will never happen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life happens. Some moments blow in like a spring wind, a gentle breeze follows that lingers and can warm our spirit, our soul and indeed brings gratitude that it, that gentle wind --

came on through our life at all.

Moments we create and are grateful for are the moments we can reflect on for hours, days and weeks.

Till next time......Smile, share those moments of gratitude over and over again.

www make me smile online dot com

Monday Morning Wisdom ~ 03/22/10

Happy Monday to you all, I am sure you all enjoyed the weekend, the first day of spring has put all of us in a much better frame of mine. Collectively we all can now enjoy the sights and sounds that spring can bring upon us.

The Red River in Fargo, North Dakota has started to recede. Last week, school children rolled up their sleeves and helped fill and put in place hundreds if not thousands of sand bags to save their town.

Collectively they won this time and the clean up begins slowly but less damage by far as they came together.

A great web site that shows what the web can do to educate and inform is listed right here regarding the North Dakota Red River Flood Stage.

We all can appreciate the effort put forth by a sports team, our team, the effort they put together to win, to entertain us and share the passion of winning. Collectively we all feel the excitement build when the clock is winding down in a close game or event and our team is behind.

So what is this word Collective:

A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project(s) to achieve a common objective. ...

We all know the power of the media, both good and bad images screen over the airways both visual and audio. The recent debate over HEALTH CARE REFORM has showed the good, bad and ugly over trying to overhaul our health care system. It is hard unless you read all of the language in the Senate bill that was passed yesterday. And when I say language it is written for another lawyer to read. Not everyday people like you and me.

Collective action was taken last night when the bill passed and now is headed to the Presidents desk.

Right or wrong, that is not for me to write about here. A recent quote on Facebook from a friend stated:

We all can have an opinion however only one set of facts that are true.

So collectively lets all take a deep breathe. Thats right, now is not the time to listen to hate, strife, anger, rhetoric but now is the time to watch, speak up with a common voice and watch. The selling of this bill was sold to congress and the Senate, by a majority.

The sale goes on today for why this bill will not effect us in a negative manner today, because if that sale does not convince the American people, then votes will be cast in November 2010 for a new arm of power. Watch, listen and find truth not lies.

The smile, a simple expression that a collective group, hopefully ever growing, can share with another and another and take away the pain, the hate and inspire a new wave of expression.

We can do it.

We should do it.

We will do it.

One smile at time.

One gratitude journal at a time.

So today, have a great day, enjoy the birds, enjoy your fellow human that just may need one of your smiles. Express your gratitude with yourself and it will shine amongst others.

Till next time.......Smile and share a smile with another!

Some Thoughts on a Sunday ~ 03/21/10

Happy Sunday everyone! Another great day to have a heart full of smiles, a spirit full of joy and a mind open to learning something new that will make a difference in not just your life but another persons life. Try living with that thought and phrase everyday, how would you focus each moment with that? What would you be doing differently.

So the first day of spring came yesterday, how great was that. About 5 weeks ago we had 3+ feet of snow on the ground. What a difference time can make.

So no mantra today, just a thought about today's impending vote on health care reform.

Deep breath here, thats really what we need to do. History, thats what we can look back at and all of the reforms that have happened down the line.

First off, I strongly believe in our rights as Americans to wake up in the morning and go to work, form a business that provides a product and service.

Then market that service freely, promote, advertise, and allow your capital to grow freely based on supply and demand.

Online I found this explanation of Capitalism.

It is an economic and social system in which capital, the non-labor factors of production (also known as the means of production), is privately controlled; labor, goods and capital are traded in markets; and profits distributed to owners or invested in technologies and industries.

Not a bad place to start, lets run with that for at least now.

Back to health care, our nation hated the idea about allowing a number like the Social Security number to follow us through life. Hated it, they did, despised it.

Our Nation hated the concept of Medicare, and Medicaid when first introduced to give healthcare to the aged and needy. They hated, they did.

Now both go along and provide much needed services.

We provide children with insurance its called CHIP started in my state of PA. We honor our children and allow them to grow with a healthy chance. What if we threw that out?

What if we said sorry we should not allow you to have a chance to be healthy?

I don't know if this bill is the answer to allowing all people in this nation to have better health care. I don't but the future of our current electorate body knows that their political career is more than just on the line here. They better be promoting in a clear and decisive way what this plan will do for all Americans going forward. Or we will have the next election rewrite past mistakes.

That is a fact.

So deep breath here, and today lets not just listen to all the hate that has been spewed by the talking heads on TV. Lets look at our current system of health care, and read the facts.

All legislation has back room deals to allow it to pass. Every bit, so don't be shocked that this one, this one, this bill had some back room deal to allow it to get this far. That would be naive on our part to think differently.

Get involved, listen, read the facts of the bill.

This fall, vote, get involved, stand up for your rights or should we all just roll over and let the talking heads on TV and Radio tell us what we should do?

I could go on further here......but sigh.....deep breath.

The next video I found on You Tube and shared with you last April 5th, a Sunday in fact. The video explains that:

If you have never failed you have never lived.

Life = Risk

Enjoy your Sunday, share a smile, share a breath of fresh air with someone.

Life is filled with what we fill it with, but never walk away from Risk.

Enjoy life, Live with a smile in your heart, and on your mind, your spirit will follow

Till next time.......Smile!

Make a difference

www make ME smile ONline dot com

Where the ME is really all about YOU!

Saturday Morning Reflection ~ 03/20/10

Good day and welcome to Saturday and the weekend! I hope you get to enjoy the day with family and friends. Todays mantra is:

Spring is here! Spring is here!

1:32pm EST it arrives

What else to say I hope you enjoy the day!

What a welcome day this first day of spring 2010. What many of us here in the east did trudge through this winter 2009. We can all pass on a good riddance to all the slush, melting snow and freezing cold. Yes we will have some frost in the mornings and yes maybe even a light dusting of snow. But the snow boots, and shovels can be put away for rakes, lawn gloves and knee mats for the planting of your gardens.

Spring 2010! How sweet the sound.

So sharing a reflection with you this 2010.

I hope you get to visit Make ME Smile Online and share in the celebration of year one gone by.

This weekend I will change the homepage video and the birthday song and fireworks I may move to the video page.

I found the Beatles Happy Birthday Video enjoyable enough to keep it somewhere on the site.

The post I want to share today is from June 16, 2009 Enjoy it again.

Smile and Move

Today I wanted to pass along a video that was shared by a friend. I watched it and felt moved to promote the message. The organization is called Smile & Move and they have a message that we happen to like as well.

The message that they promote is Smile and take action.

The How to Smile link gave these 5 things.

1. Wake Up

2. Be Thankful

3. Be approachable

4. Complain Less

5. Smile! Really.

The video for their message is below.

We like it! We hope you did to.

Once again thanks Danielle for sharing it! : )

So many times we need to take the time to really understand the basics of a smile and being kind. We all have ego's, wants, needs, desires. We sometimes forget and don't realize that our words, thoughts and comments can have effects not only on others but on ourselves.

So take time to be kind not only to others but be kind to yourself too.....

My last thought was from a video I watched over the weekend.

It is a quote by the Dali Lama and it is as follows.

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't

help them, at least don't hurt them.

Till Next time.....Smile! : )

www make me smile online dot com

Flowing into Friday ~03/20/10

Happy Friday everyone and welcome to another beautiful day here in the East. I hope where you are you are filled with joy, graced with blessings, grateful for another day of life and able to share a smile first with yourself in that mirror and then to another to pass along that gift and simple power of a smile.

Our simple mantra for today:

Spring just about 34 hours to go~

Spring oh the flowers that we will sow.

The colors and brilliance that will bloom,

will take away that winter gloom.

Spring just around the corner for us all.

Spring so glad you have arrived.

34 hours to go -

Spring will be here soon.

How will you spend the first day of spring?

Some of us will be working, task driven our lives do become. What ever your occupation it all completes the circle of life. We all produce something. We all make or create for another. Whatever your occupation we contribute to each other in some way.

As we all go into that first day of spring. Understand that in one way or another we need each other. We contribute in so many ways other than our occupation or trade.

We just by our presence change the energy flow around another.

We can brighten a room with a smile.

Or take the wind out of each others sails with anger and hate.

We choose. We allow. We participate in so many ways.

Now its true I have said this many times you can not let another person bring you down or tear down your spirit with out giving that person permission to do so. If another tries to tear down your spirit, you allowed them. You permitted it. You, no one else let that hate or anger permeate our essence of being.

Protect your thoughts, protect your joy not to isolate the hurt and pain of another but to fortify your spirit to reach out, and try to make another person life just a little better improved by the light you shine on them.

In the Bible, God asked all of us in Matthew 5:16 to:

In the same way, let your light shine before people in such a way that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

--International Standard Version

Your light, your essence and spirit can enlighten and reach out to so many that just may need a little light in their life.

I hope and pray that this Friday and every day for that matter you allow your light to shine and enhance another persons day.

Your light has that power if you allow it to.

So today enjoy your Friday, and the eve to spring that is upon us.

Thanks again for all your kind comments, your time you take to make and share your thoughts and greetings is very welcome.

Another member to Make ME Smile Online our 36 member, Otha from Georgia. Thanks for joining and thanks for all of the 35 other people who choose to share their smile with others.

May your light always burn bright.

Till next time.......smile and let your light shine bright for another.

www make me smile online dot com

Positive Thought Thursday ~03/18/10

Happy Thursday everyone, here is wishing you a great Thursday with smiles fixed not just on your lips but more important in your spirit and soul. Yes, if you saw last night's post its the one year mark for Make ME Smile ONline. One year, wow it is indeed a quick year and I have enjoyed every day, every post and I hope you have as well.

Todays mantra as we come oh so close to spring:

Spring in 54:32 minutes eastern time zone.

It arrives at 1:32 pm here in the east.

Counting down the hours now how winter has flown.

Still we will remember your fury this winter.

Spring welcome on home.

Flowers we will plant

Gardens we will sow

Spring showers will come as they always do

Winter passes on but the memories linger.

Welcome Spring 2010.

Spring, a new beginning right before our eyes. A new season, with new colors and sights and sounds. Even spring has a smell to it that is welcome.

Dr. Seuss had a wonderful quote that I wanted to focus on today.

Don't cry because it is over. Smile because it happened.

All things come to an end at times. Seasons, great movies, and even loved ones cross over to a better place. We often feel such grief, a sense of loss. Words often do little to comfort a spirit that is grieving. Time heals but some the loss hangs deep within. The spirit the soul stirs and wants what it can't have. It hurts. We have all lost a love one.

The one focus that this quote directs us so clearly is to remember that their life happened.

The left sweet memories etched into our mind.

Another gift of a gratitude journal is this, your life lived is documented for your children, and generations beyond. It has been said if your life is worth living it is worth recording it.

Don't cry because it is over.

Everything ends.

Cry because it happened.

They made a difference in your life and that is indeed a precious gift.

Love life, Live life and record it.

Till next time......Smile and thanks for becoming a part of the journey.

www make me smile online dot com

Make ME Smile Online ~ Turns 1 year old ~ 03/18/09 - Present

Stayed up to post this tonight, my goal when I started this web site was to inspire, entertain, promote, educate the simple power of the smile and having gratitude in your heart.

The mission will continue.

My goals are many. I shared a few with them the other day. I am also looking for more members to join the fray.

Membership is free to MMSO (MAKE ME SMILE ONLINE).

What you will find at Make ME Smile ONline.

First Our Mission Statement:

What we are about, our mission and more

Provide a place on the Internet to promote, share, develop, entertain and educate its visitors and members that the simple yet powerful result of happiness the "Smile' can change the broken hearted, the lonely, the sad and help to change not only their world but the world of others.

One Smile at a Time!

Our goal to develop an online community to help and conquer the stress that this imperfect world produces.

The human spirit that we know can and will produce idea's, inspiration and energy that will carry it through these tough times.

One Smile at a Time!

Our belief and our focus of Success

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

--- Ralph Waldo Emerson

That is our mission and how we define our success. If you can be lead by this and want to join in then visit and register.

A quote that I believe with all my heart.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

-- Margaret Mead

The small group can and will make a difference in these troubled times.

One person, One Voice, One step at a time.

Thats my belief. What's yours?

What does a smile do for you?

What does a smile mean for your children?

What does a smile mean for the hurting?

What does a smile do to those with pain?

What does a smile do for anyone when given with sincerity, with randomness?

It Can and Will mean Everything!

Count on that!

A quote from Leo F. Buscaglia he was quoted as saying:

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

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From Mother Teresa

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love,

a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

~~~~~~~~~~

A quick poem author unknown

Smiling is infectious,

You can catch it like the flu.

Someone smiled at me today,

And I started smiling too.

You get the idea! A smile, sincere and real, even when times are tough, especially when times are tough, will change someones outlook.

Thats what Make ME Smile Online is all about!

That what Make ME Smile wants to spread. Like a wildfire.

So year two begins. Enjoy the next year.

For my friends of Gather, thanks for all your support. Your the small group that can and will make a difference in these hard times.

So with that, I thank you. Welcome to year #2

MAKE ME SMILE ONLINE

Life is a maze of Smiles, I spoke about that a few days ago. Life is a maze, how much better would that maze be with smiles during your travels within that maze of life.

Life is a journey, live it with gratitude.

Life is a journey, live it by giving away a smile when you see someone who needs it.

Compliment when service should be complimented.

Compliment your children when they do something right. Let them know you notice when they do something right not just something wrong.

Till next time.....smile and thanks for the last year.

www.makemesmileonline.com

A Wish on Wednesday ~03/17/10

Happy Wednesday everyone! A beautiful day yesterday and more of the same tomorrow. Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine, how sweet. Today is exciting for me in 2 ways, first Thursday we will have one full year at Make ME Smile ONline. One year of sharing smiles, sharing knowledge, entertaining you the reader. How much I look forward to our second year.

The second thing that is exciting for me is our mantra for today:

Spring just 2 full days away,

Spring the day when we shoo old man winter away.

The birds how they do sing,

The season spring is almost here for this year.

Spring how how we do cheer for thee.

Today of course is also St. Patrick's Day so a video for you this fine day:

So my wish for today, for that pot of gold at the end of that rainbow? That would be nice, but how would I move it. Would someone try to steal it? No, thats not my wish.

My wish is for you the reader to pass on the vision that I hold in my heart and spirit.

The vision that a small group of people, who behold a dream or a hope can change the world. The dream that others will understand the power of gratitude. The dream that the simple act of a smile can spread like wildfire through a person's heart and soul.

Pass it on.

My wish is that everyone can understand that attitude is no one thing it is everything. When we walk with our head held high, our mind in belief that yes we can be happy. Yes we are responsible for our joy and happiness then the world and its energy starts to unfold around us that very joy.

Pass it on.

My wish is that everyone including you will wake in the morning, stop at that bathroom mirror and state the positive about ourselves, share a smile with that reflection and state in the positive today is a great day and I will make a difference for another.

Pass it on.

My wish is that today, you will make another smile. You will do something kind, you will be gentle with yourself and you will not let another effect your mood unless it is in a positive manner.

Pass it on.

That is the pot and the end of my rainbow. Want to share it that vision. Join at Make ME Smile Online. Its free, so much to share with you all. Tomorrow is one year of age for the site. 35 members strong. I thank you for considering it. Joining. I hope to see you there.

Till next time....Smile and pass it on.

www make me smile online dot com

Giving Thanks on Tuesday ~03/16/10

Good day everyone and welcome to Tuesday a Happy Tuesday to you all. The weather here in Pittsburgh will be nice for the next several days. So nice to see most of the snow gone. The storm of 2009 gone but the memories will live on for years to come.

Our mantra for today:

Spring in 3 full days-

So close you can almost smell it-

So close you sure can feel it.

Spring 2010 in 3 days what a sight to see

hard to imagine a month ago

but in 3 days on the calendar winter will go.

Tuesday is always the day I give thanks and invite you to grab your gratitude journal and place within its pages what your grateful for.

There are so many things we can be grateful for, the weather is one of them of course.

Gods creations that surround us all. So many to name but everything was indeed inspired directly or indirectly from God.

We often take for granted that we were all created in Gods image and likeness. We all given the same opportunities. Even those among us that have been born with disabilities or handicaps have with passion and desire created great things. People without hands and legs, crossed America because they had that desire and passion. Those without sight sign with such emotion or those with out hands painting with feet or their lips. It can be done and not only are they grateful for their abilities we need to be grateful for what they have shown and done with their passion's and desires.

Passion and desire.

Love and hope.

A simple smile and the belief that we, yes you and me can make a difference.

Everyday, any day we so desire, just plug into your passion.

Till next time.......just smile, first with yourself and then another.

They are free those smiles and the action lasts way past its delivery.

www make me smile online dot com

Monday Morning Wisdom ~ 03/15/10

Happy Monday everyone and welcome to a new week. Full of adventure, surprises await us all, we know that with the right attitude, with a heart full of gratitude we can be prepared for even the not so great surprises that can happen. Todays mantra for the final days of winter:

Spring in 4 days- 4 full days of winter to go-

Winter is about to leave us

that mean old winter of 2009

No we can only hope for the sun to always shine

Night comes of course and there will always be dark

but the spring season brings us rain and a few clouds

but in the end it makes the flowers and gardens burst alive.

So Spring in 4 days- No more winter for us

and that indeed is a very big plus!

Enjoy the sunshine this week. Rain at least for the Pittsburgh area is not in the forecast except for a few sprinkles today.

How great is that.

My daughter yesterday shared with me something yesterday that didn't hit me right away.

But the more I thought about it, it hit me, so much so that I put it in the Make ME Smile ONline Web site at the very top of the page.

She said she woke up thinking or the thought running through her head that 'Life is a Maze of Smiles'. Now Tori, my daughter is 15, soon to be 16 this May. For her to say something like this is not the usual, the usual is something about the latest music, or the Twilight movie or lunch at the high school. This was different.

"Life is a Maze of Smiles"

It is a maze life, often we go down a path, with a plan and end up turning back when we see that it is a dead end, or not the way to go. Other times we find the right path is easier and we head deep into the maze of life into the right course to our goal. Life is a maze not a bad thing, just some uncertainty along the way.

The smile if carried with us, front and center in our mind and spirit will help us get through this maze with a warm heart, a kind spirit and we will not only carry joy with us along the way, we will spread that smile along life's journey.

How profound her message that spilled through her thoughts. Life truly is a maze of smiles, what is the alternative, a maze of frowns, of dismay? Truly to carry a smile on the spirit, our soul, our feelings of gratitude that we bring with us helps us get through that maze.

Life is not easy, it never was promised to us to be that way, easy.

Life is a challenge at the very best of times.

Life is a struggle at the very worst of times.

But to carry a smile with us, even if that load on our shoulders is heavy.

It will lift our burdens, lighten our thoughts and spread positive energy into our world. Is that not a great gift.

I love the message that Ralph Waldo Emerson gives us when he defines success.

Its on Make ME Smile Online's mission statement and I share it again here.

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

What a message that we all should be able to attain. To leave the world a bit better on our journey through the maze. To appreciate and savor the beauty along the way. To look for and find the best in others. Allowing the flow of energy to float around nature with no harm or ill will towards that flow. To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. I can live with this definition, you bet I can.

I send you smiles your way, I send you warm wishes and prayers as well.

Till next time, make that difference in someones life, share a smile, a simple smile.

www make me smile online dot com

Some Thoughts on a Sunday ~ 03/14/10

Happy Sunday everyone and welcome to Daylight savings time. Yeah it may feel like 8am but its 9 right about now. Coffee drinking and bird singing time of morning. Our mantra for the day:

Spring in 5 days away-

Day light savings time last night got us closer,

it took away an hour it must miss spring too.

The birds are singing, the sky for now is clear,

Spring in 5 days know is time to cheer.

Thanks for all your kind comments over the past few days. The gratitude in my heart appreciates you stopping by and saying hello it means so much that feeling of community.

My thought today is that very word, community.

The first entry on Google defines it as:

a group of people living in a particular local area; "the team is drawn from all parts of the community"

common ownership; "they shared a community of possessions"

How true is that? Here we are for the sake of the world local, all connected by the world wide web, drawn from all parts of the web, world wide. A group with common interests.

We who write, and enjoy the writings of others take ownership of the material.

Some quotes about the subject:

The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt. ~ Frederick Buechner

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade. ~Chinese Proverb

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead

How true the commonality of our connections. The world wide connection of the Internet can bring so many thoughts to the table, stirred and mulled over. Shaped and molded, strengthened and passed forward in our daily actions.

A smile, shared with someone who needs it more than you.

A kind word passed forward to a soul beat down by circumstances real or perceived.

A gentle soft touch placed on a shoulder that says with no spoke word I understand and I have been there.

Making a difference can be that easy, it really can.

An expression, a word, or a touch can impact another persons life for that moment and beyond. I know your saying yeah but I am only one. This video will widen your thought on only one, enjoy.

It really is "All it takes".

It really could change a state of mind.

It really could change the world.

A simple smile, well shared.

A simple gratitude journal well used.

A simple group of like minded people doing common things to strengthen our community for us and our children, one smile at a time.

Till next time.............Smile and pass it on!

www make me smile online dot com

where the ME is really all about you!