Smile Therapy

There is a bathroom here that is designed in such a way that while sitting on the toilet I have a perfect mug-shot view of myself in the sink's mirror. I was drawn to this particular restroom from the beginning of my stay here mainly because of aesthetic reasons. However, I become more and more partial to this restroom with each passing day.

I don't remember when or why I decided to force a smile on my face for the entire length of my peeing session, but regardless....it has induced many genuine smiles, even laughs, that I might not have experienced during my day had it not been for my brief escapes to the smile therapy retreat.

I've tried to share my extreme excitement about my discovery and the tremendously positive effect it has on my day, but all I get are blank stares and a couple courtesy laughs. But, I'd be willing to bet that more than one person in this house has awkwardly smiled at their reflection in the mirror while doing their business and is just too embarrassed to say they did....and even more embarrassed to admit that my "ridiculous" suggestion really does work! :)

I modified this smile therapy so that it would be more group appropriate....in other words, I asked people to join me in smile therapy around the kitchen table where we had 5, 30 second rounds of continuous smiling. In the two and a half months I've been here, I have only successfully rounded up two small groups of people to join me in smile therapy. My persuasive skills are really put to the test when I'm trying to get a house full of morbidly depressed, anxious souls to join me in such a ludicrous activity. But....I think it's fair to say that whether or not a formal smile therapy session happens or not, the people I am trying to convince are always smiling by the end just because of how outlandishly excited and animated I become.

I'm going to miss my smile therapy retreat.