A Smile a Day

I have never wanted to change the world. Rather, I’ve never craved the kind of power that comes with the ability to change the world. I don’t want to be famous, well-known, or even super popular. I sing like a mountain goat, can’t act to save my life, and honestly, politics bore me. I have one goal, one that I have had for as long as I can remember. Simply, make someone smile every day.

In middle school, sometime throughout the year, at least one of my teachers would ask the class, “What is one of your goals in life.” I kid you not, over half the class answered with “to be remembered” or “to leave a mark” or even “to change the world.” I remember looking down at my paper as all these answers are being shouted out, my goals not matching everyone else. See, I just never had the desire to be remembered. I have no need to see my name plastered in lights or put up in an eternal memorial. When I die, I don’t need my name going down in history, and honestly it would be too hard for them to pronounce Holys correctly anyway. On my paper, in small block letters, were five simple words. Make someone smile every day. 

This has been my simple goal ever since, and it has shaped the way I live my life. I love to make people laugh, and I find that just smiling at someone tends to brighten their day a little more. I have decided to become a nurse because at least I can make one person’s day a little brighter, a little easier. I do not need to change the world, just improving a life is enough for me. Just a simple smile, that is all it takes. However, it seems we lose our smiles the older we get. The average child has a smile rate of 400 times a day. 400! The average adult, on the other hand, has an average smile rate of 20 (Statistics). The huge drop from childhood to adulthood is just heartbreaking. So my goal, my change to the world, my miniscule difference, is to change smiles from 20 to 21. I do not need to change the world. I do not need to be remembered. I just need to make someone smile every day.

about Grace Holys

Grace Holys is a Sophomore pursuing a major in Nursing and a minor in English. She participates in Cross Country and Track and is in the Prolife organization as well as Bible Study.

_{Cited Source}

_{“Statistics about Smiling and Happiness.” Cosmetic Services Charleston WV - Statistics}

_{About Smiling and Happiness | The Facial Center, thefacialcenter.com/p/BLOG-87970-2021.10.25-Statistics-About-Smiling-and-Happiness-p.asp?C=1708#:~:text=Many%20people%2C%20around%2030%25%2C,mood%20and%20level%20of%20happiness.}