We are on our 2nd week of Project S.M.I.L.E.. As I have discussed last time I will be doing this weekly on a Monday as I continue my vision to be a beacon of hope to everyone. We have discussed last time the power of SMILE and the initiative to Smile More to Ignite Life's Energy. Always be reminded of the importance of a smile and here is an excerpt from my first post of how a smile can affect our brain and body.
According to research, smiling produces neuropeptides (which allows our neurons to communicate), which may help in fighting stress. When you smile you also release the feel good neurotransmitters dopamine, endorphin, and serotonin. This lower down heart rate and blood pressure, and relaxes our body. The endorphins act as a pain reliever and the serotonin as anti-depressant or mood-lifter.
For this week, I will be sharing two of the smiles that displays hope.
A hope in a Smile (A Smile story)
Homosexuality versus Faith
He is one of the people whom I can call best friend. Never in my entire existence did I have a best friend because I am aloof and did not like the idea of being a burden to anyone in case my emotion becomes unstable. I am happy to meet this guy who has a genuine heart for people. He is easy to hangout with and you will have endless laughs and smiles with him.
Even if he is a happy person, he has a lot of struggles in life. One of his struggles is being far from home. He is from Davao Philippines but he has to stay here in Manila Philippines to work. It wont be easy for him and to anyone to be far from home. He is also torned between his faith and his preference. He is homosexual but is struggling about it because of his faith as a Christian. He feel burdened and condemned with this fact that he tends to decline his preference and go with the norm. However, he can't control it and really wanted someone with the same sexuality.
He is scared to be judged by people around his community. He doesn't seem to know how to completely remove it from his system as a follower of God. I know how difficult it can be to be someone your faith disapproves. I cannot even give him an advice because it is a difficult topic to discuss. I don't want to disrepect his faith nor mine so I just listen to him whenever he is trying to open up about it.
Despite this he still manage to smile and bring happiness to people. His personality is easy to adore and love. His smile depicts hope that someday he can make a stand on the struggle he is in.
Second Life
He is one my colleagues at work. I remembered how he recalled a tragic moment in his life a year ago and I can see how both terrified and happy he was.
January 27, 2017 around 9-10 PM when his blood oxygen dropped which makes it difficult for him to breathe that was when he surrendered and accepted death. He was shocked that he was still alive and conscious while he was being rushed to the hospital and heard nurses shouting "code red." He knew that things are getting complicated when this term was shouted-
since he worked as a nurse before.
He accepted that he might now surpass it and was just waiting for everything to end and that was when he asked himself where he will be going (hell or heaven). That was the time that he prayed and surrendered himself to God afraid of the thought of going to hell. After that he blackout again and it was a short moment for him but a long one for the people around. All he can see is a light at the end of the room. He can hear his Dad asking him to get well soon and though he was about to say good bye and follow the light, something pulled him back to his body and that was when he survived.
He almost died due to stroke, but he was given another chance. He considered it a second life and just recently celebrated his 1st birthday.
source
This two very inspiring stories made me realize that every smile has a story. That no matter what we are going through or have gone through we will always have a reason to smile. This day as you start your week, why don't you reminisce a moment in your life that can make you smile. That will be the best thing to do to start the week.
