Smile, Cosmile, & Tangent.

Every once in awhile, some minute little instance comes along that brings back a whole r u s h of memories and feelings of nostalgia -- be it a smell, a setting, a story, anything. I love those sorts of things because I am such a sentimental person (see also "gushy", "schmaltzy", "syrupy", etc.) -- cliche' as it may sound, it brings me the warmest and most comforting feelings to reminisce about old times. And even about those not-so-good times (even the bad stuff has a place and a purpose, if for nothing else then to allow us to appreciate the good stuff even more!). I guess I am what you would call your quintessential "sap". And I can't argue one iota. I've certainly been called worse...

(The photo above left was taken in London -- it is a sizable chunk of the Berlin Wall, with the poignant graffiti that reads: "Change Your Life". Why I included it in this post? For absolutely no reason other than the fact that I stumbled upon it and remembered that I took it just about this time of summer years ago... or a fancy way of saying, "because I felt like it.")

Allow me to now change the subject to something along the same lines but yet totally different. In fact, maybe that would have been a more appropriate title for this here blog: "The Big Tangent". Or something like that. But, as always, I digress...

Is there any better feeling in the world than smiling one of those infectious smiles that you have no control over? The big, goofy kind of smiles that is totally unexpected and that you could not stop if you tried? I've always heard that the physical act of smiling releases some kind of chemical (or combination thereof) that physiologically makes one feel more euphoric and content. But, let's face it: there is no denying that the fact that it is also pretty darn good for the health to have something or someone in your life that makes you smile like that!!!

For that and so much more, I thank God... because as much as I may whine and complain about anything and everything, it does not escape me that I am truly blessed beyond anything I can or will deserve. The things I've done, the people I've known, and the feelings I've felt (both the happy times AND the unhappy times) have made me like the luckiest girl in the world for I am truly and undeniably BLESSED!!!