Just a smile

A smile is the light in 

the window of your face

that tells people you're

at home.

~ Author Unknown

Smiles for me are a

barometer.  On a normal

day, I smile a lot.

at my kids 

at my buddies at yoga

at the clerk at the grocery

at the UPS man

at a funny e-mail 

at a special blog-comment

And on a really great day,

that smile will be joined

by a big 'ol belly laugh.

Those are THE best.

So earlier in the summer

when my daughter said,

You never smile at me

anymore {because in teen

lingo so many things are

labeled always or never....}

it was like a splash of

cold water on my face.

What???

I don't remember what 

was bringing me down at

that time ~ probably just

tired ~ but ever since, I've

made a conscious decision

to smile at each member of

my family, early and often, 

each and every day.

But what if ~

what if ~

you were unable 

to smile?

Yes, it happens.

Every three minutes a baby

is born with a facial deformity

such as a cleft lift or cleft palate,

which makes it impossible to

smile and often impossible to

eat or speak.


{I know you've all seen
the before pictures of these
precious children in magazines.}

Thailer from Venezuela, before.....

In many cultures, these babies

grow into children who are

shunned and rejected.

In 1982 an organization was

formed that has been restoring

smiles all over the world ever since:

Operation Smile.

Thailer, after : )

These amazing medical professionals

and caring, huge-hearted volunteers

travel the globe to provide free surgeries

to children and young adults that will 

give smiles back, along with the 

chance for living a normal life.

What a gift.

Grace from South Africa

200,000 patients in over 60 countries

have received this gift, so far.

In addition to donations from generous

souls who give directly to Operation

Smile's website, they also receive benefits

from caring business partners through

their Shop to Benefit program.

Ibrahim from Egypt


One of these,

 CampusBookRentals.com,

is giving a percentage of each rental

fee to Operation Smile, with the goal of 

providing at least 1,000 

life-changing 

surgeries.

Tatyana from Belarus

So, as college students work towards

their future dreams, Operation Smile 

will benefit and help others fufill

 their own dreams. 

To smile. 

Have you smiled today?

If yes, how very lucky you are.

If no, what are you waiting for?

Sending you a big smile, along with

a huge hug, today.  Because you 

make me smile.....

And I never want to take that

simple blessing for granted.

xx

Suzanne

For more information about

the Campus Book Rentals

Making a Difference Program,

click here.

Photos:  All family members,

except for the sweet faces

from Operation Smile.

Linking with