SMILE, PLEASE

Today was a rainy day, so we decided that a trip to the library would be the best thing to do, as it was unlikely that we would be able to get out in the garden.

Mr. HCB promised he would buy me a coffee (but actually I paid, so how does that work?) so after we had chosen our books, we went to the town centre, and I was amazed to find that the Post-It Note I had put up on 23rd April was still on the pillar near the coffee shop, so I put another one next to it to keep it company!

As I was sticking it up and taking a photograph, a man sitting near asked what I was doing, so I explained that I was trying to spread a little love and happiness in a world that was often full of misery. He then asked, rather cynically, if I thought it was working, and I said I thought so!

I sat down, but then thought that a photograph of him would make a good blip, so went back over and asked if I could take his photograph next to the Post-Its. At first he said no, but his wife persuaded him, so here he is - almost smiling!

He told me his name was Patrick O'Reilly and his wife said they had been married for 57 years, so he had plenty to smile about - but I'm not sure Patrick agreed with that comment.

However, about 10 minutes later, when they were about to leave, he called over to me, raised his hand in greeting and then smiled a BIG smile - so it obviously DOES work!

“What sunshine is to flowers,
smiles are to humanity.
These are but trifles, to be sure;
but scattered along life's pathway,
the good they do is inconceivable.”
― Joseph Addison

P.S. Note to self - ALWAYS write up your journal in Notes, then copy and paste NOT straight onto the blip website - this is the second time of writing, as the first time, I got a "timeout message", so had to start again - but I am still smiling :-)