Monday 5 January 2015

Look for the sunshine in everything

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sun plays hide and seek
See this sullen Sunday morning
The day without the sun is drowning
Draw the curtains, look up high
The sun has fled the sky to hide.

Come on Sun come out to play
Don’t be shy and hide away
Come on Sun we have a treat
Lots of cloud for you to eat.

Puddles here for you to drink
Come on Sun give us a wink
And how about a little smile
To lighten up our hearts awhile.

I know-it’s hide and seek you’re playing
Close our eyes and hear us saying
Hundred, coming, ready or not!
We’re coming Sun, we’re getting hot

And hot and hot and hotter see
You’re shining out there on our street
Oh Sun we love the games you play
And now we’ve won, you’ve made our day.



And from Goodreads quotes:


Friday 3 October 2014

World Smile Day 3rd October 2014 - join in

One act of kindness to make one person smile

World Smile Day raises money for the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation, a non-profit charitable trust that supports children's causes
Simple

Harvey Ball created the original smiley in 1963.  The image went on to become the most recognisable symbol of goodwill and cheer on the planet

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The first Friday in every October was chosen by Harvey Ball to be World Smile Day.  A day when everyone should try to be like the Smiley, a symbol that transcends politics, religion and geographical location.




Tuesday 30 September 2014

Arts, science, compassion and exercise

Fill your life!


Smiling

Smiling is something you should do
For the people who know you
And for the strangers you don’t.
Smiling is all about being brave.
Suppose they leave you standing
With a mile on yours
But not a glimmer on theirs
Will you risk losing face
In a world that
Puts you in your place
Yes, the serious believe
That those who smile
Are the ones in need
How far from the truth
Can we be?


Everyone should watch this video. Don't hurry it, allow yourself time to listen

Australian comedian and poet Tim Minchin shares many of Mr Smile's ways to happiness

Monday 25 August 2014

A Trip to Happiness

Travel is one of the ten ways to happiness.  Mr Smile has been doing quite a bit of this over the Summer and that is why he hasn't found time to write his blog (he apologises for this).

Just planning a trip, however small, can lift your spirits even if you don't end up going.

The journey can be as much fun as reaching the destination.  Take time to look out of the window on the way, even if it is dark.



The Journeyman

The crackle on the gravel
The rolling of the stone
Footprints on the shifting sand
Where the journeyman must roam.

Wishes on the water
Mind up in the mountains
The journeyman his only need
To taste the quenching fountain

Tramps across the countryside
To travel the unknown
He trusts the earth beneath his feet
The journeyman is home

To where his heart is
He who knows much more
Whose eyes are always fixed upon

The ever open door.

And from Goodreads:

Terry Pratchett“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”


Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Blue days and bright days

It is perfectly normal to be blue sometimes, for the smile not to come readily to your face, to feel anti-social. But try to smile all the same and it WILL lift you a little at a time - science has even proven it!

I love the way Henry drew my smile
Some children recently heard some of my book and my stories.  They decided to do their own pictures of me and to write their own words.  These made me SMILE, I hope they make you smile too even if it is only a little smile because you are feeling blue.
"But first they went very sad. The people are happy. It was not about money it was about being nice."
The children worked very hard create these pictures and words and were very proud of them.

Everyone liked it when the people were nice


Ryan drew a picture of himself with me

My book is for adults AND children but the adults don't seem to want to draw any pictures!
Goodreads quote:
“Age does not make us childish, as some say; it finds us true children.”

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Laugh at yourself

Keep things in perspective and learn to laugh at yourself more often


I never exaggerate, me

I remember one time in the garden
When me mate pushed me out of a tree
I swear it was high as a mountain
But I never exaggerate, me.

I remember one day at the seaside
A tsunami came out of the sea
Lucky that I’m good at surfin’
But I never exaggerate, me.

I remember one day at the sweetshop
They were giving out chocolates for free
I ate so much I was sick on the spot
But I never exaggerate, me.
Picture from "The Jenie Jazzles" (C) David J. Mason


I remember one day on the footie pitch
This tackle that took off me knee
They managed to sew it back on again
But I never exaggerate, me.

I remember one day in the playground
I found this strange looking key
Then I broke into school at the weekend
But I never exaggerate, me.

I remember one day in the classroom
I think it was quarter to three
A monster crept in and took me away
But I never exaggerate, me.

I remember one day I was out in the park
When my friend he was stung by a bee
His head swelled up to six times its size
But I never exaggerate, me. 

No I never, ever, ever exaggerate
Not in a billion years, me.

(C) David J. Mason "Smile"


Goodreads quote of the day for me:
“I laugh at myself.
I don't take myself completely seriously.
I think that's another quality that people
 have to hold on to... you have to laugh, 

especially at yourself.” - Madonna

Thursday 8 May 2014

Sit quietly and do very little

Find some time to do very little

Perhaps read a book - try poetry because you can dip in and out more easily

Lost in a Book

I was once completely lost in a book
Honest – the story was really that good
They sent out a search party
But they couldn’t find me
They sent out the army and navy
But they couldn’t see me
They sent out sniffer dogs
But they couldn’t smell me
And they listened very carefully
But they just couldn’t hear me.

I finished the book
And came out of the story
They were so pleased
For now they had found me.
And why not tell us
Where you were going?
But stories are like that
There’s no way of knowing.
(C) 2013 David J. Mason 
Or listen to some music - try classical music (you may recognise the theme in this piece)

And from Goodreads quotes:

Marcus Aurelius“When you arise in the morning think of what
a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...”