Be the reason someone smiles today

"Why did your baby get cancer?" was the question one of my students greeted me with as she walked in the door this morning.  Although it may seem odd, this question doesn't really bother me.  (Well...except that this same student asks this same question just about every day as she comes in the door!)  But really, it's the million dollar question.  Why DID my baby get cancer?  Why did my mom get cancer?  Why have some of my high school classmates gotten cancer?  Why have other parents' kids gotten cancer?  Why have other kids' parents gotten cancer?  Why IS there cancer?  These are questions we can't, and will never be able to answer. 

Bad things can happen to good people.  Good things can happen to bad people.  Good things can happen to good people, and bad things can happen to bad people.  I guess what I have taken away from all of this...death...cancer...sadness...grief...is to live a good life.  I don't know what will happen to me tomorrow, or even in 5 minutes.  I could die today, or in 50 years.  It's not the amount of time that matters, but what I do with that time that counts.  So instead of living in fear of death, or loss, or sadness, I live for hope, and happiness, and giving.  When my day does come, I want to look back and see that I did make a difference.  Perhaps I didn't change the world, but hopefully I can change the world for at least one person.  That's why we do things like the blood drive and Twelve Days of Giving.  These events don't rock the world, but they rock our world, and they give people a reason to smile.  That's why we donate to CureSearch, Sammy's Superheroes, March of Dimes, and to A Monster's Mission.  We don't donate huge sums, we never need a gigantic check printed up, but we do enough to maybe help one person, or one family. 

It's kind of become my mantra...be the reason someone smiles today.  Everytime someone likes or comments on what we post, it makes me smile.  When someone walks in to the building and says, "I talk to my dogs too!" it makes me smile.  When a student sees me in the hall and randomly gives me a hug, it makes me smile.  None of these things cost money, or take up much time, but they change my day.  To everyone who takes a second and makes me smile, thank you, and I hope to return the favor one day!  And for today, I'll leave this sweet picture here in hopes that it will make someone else smile!