Smiling at the smallest of things.

Today my students got new crayons. I have never seen anyone so excited to receive something so small. Ya, they are first graders and they really don't have much else to worry about, but getting that Crayola box of 16 crayons made their day, if not their entire year of being 6 years old.

The students kept showing me their pencil box and the new set of crayons that were in it. Some organized them according to color, some organized them horizontal and others, vertical. Whatever they did, they could not take their eyes off their new crayons. Something as so small as a box of crayons gave these kids the biggest smiles I have ever seen.

As I was admiring these beautiful pencil boxes and smiles, it got me thinking about how much I don't smile at the little things in my life. I wish I did. I get so caught up in what is going wrong in my life or how my day didn't go exactly how I planned that I forget to look for those small things that make me grin. Even working in a classroom, I am so critical of how I teach and I will end the lesson frustrated at how I taught. If I would only look at the fact that the students are enjoying themselves and they are learning...that is what should make me smile.

If we smile at the little things, our lives may become a little more positive, a little brighter, and a lot more exciting. Finding the joy in the midst of trials, finding the sun through the rain, and learning to smile every day may make your day a little better. :-)