Almost everyday I would wake up and wonder, what kind of day am I going to have? Will someone say something mean at school? Will I feel the need to comfort someone today because they were bullied? Will I be the one who needs comforting? These are the thoughts of most children these days. Bullying comes in so many different forms, sometimes it’s hard to tell who the victim is.  The saying “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me” isn’t always true. Sometimes the words said can be just as damaging to a person’s feelings and emotional state as a true act of violence.

It’s not always visible on the outside, what someone is going through on the inside.  I have realized I can control how I feel and how other people’s actions affect me, but it isn’t always easy. If I am fighting a migraine, someone’s unkind words will be harder to digest. This may not seem like an issue to most people; however, internal feelings and discomfort play a big role in how others affect our day to day lives.  If I’m having a bad day and I come across a smiling face, it truly helps put me in a better mood. On the other hand, hearing a snide comment will only add to my discomfort.  These may seem obvious, but I truly believe society has forgotten how to be kind to one another.

There has been an ongoing debate as to which takes more muscles and effort, a smile or a frown. The real answer isn’t really what it takes to smile, but what it makes someone feel like when they smile or see someone smile at them. I know that when I am not feeling well on the inside, I try to smile on the outside. My goal is to try to reach out to as many people as possible to remind them what it is like to say good morning or good afternoon and really have a good day.  Too much time is spent on criticizing others and commenting on social media behind a device and not enough time is spent face to face, being kind.