The value of a smile

When I was going to start this entry I was thinking about Ellie Simmons and her win this afternoon, however between brain and page the new of Michael Clarke Duncan's untimely demise has since come in (think The green mile and Armageddon). Yet the same thoughts apply the difference is that one is a real person and one is in relation to the character he played.

Over the last month or so we have seen so many fantastic athletes win medals of varying colours and when you scratch the surface a lot of our Olympians both mains stream and alternative have some tragic tales behind them, Tom Daley is one of many who have lost a parent in the last 12 months, and then there are the ones who have battled personal illness and injury to represent their country. Now this links with the character Michael Clarke Duncan was famous for playing in The Green Mile, John Coffey, a man accused of murder who had the greatest ability, to heal others. If you have never watched the film do so, I have films I recommend to watch if once in your life, this is one, because I never need to see it again, it touched me so deeply. That was purely due to the performance of the actor, and it is in his death I realise how sorely he will be missed and how under used he was.

Anyway, its the healing aspect I am focusing on, I am not saying that there is a some great miracle happening during these Olympics, much as I wish there was, but the affects the joys of some people success is having on others. Look at it this way Just over a year ago this country was quite literally tearing ourselves apart during the riots. It was a very scary time to live through, personally it past the bottom of my road, and I saw a building intriguingly linked with my family for the last 150 years burnt down. What was worse, was I was crazy enough to drive into the heart of Croydon while the buildings were still smoking in the cold light of the morning, with aid from my own church, to assist those who had nothing. By nothing I mean they had the clothes they wore on their back and that was it. So moved by it I remained there helping for a morning and went back the next day having kicked people to give all they could. There was one family who walked in with two young children, one less than a year another 2 maybe three, and they had nothing left no house nothing. It took ages to pursued them to help themselves to everything they needed, they were so shell shocked from it all. Finally after a mug of tea and something to eat they took a couple of bags and started to pick out the basics. The little boy was just staring, at first we didn't know what at. Then it twigged, we were thinking of the practical and forgetting to child of that age the most important possession is their favourite toy and his was gone, he was staring at the heap of toys we had under the table not yet sorted. It took a kind hand and a lot of patience to get him to dive in and find a new find a new friend. That smile when boy and new bear found each other will be with me for life. After the most horrendous of nights, there was that smile.

 I am not saying it healed everything, but at least he had a bear all to himself, and I would love to bet he still has that bear. It is the same smile I am seeing on these athletes, regardless of colour round their neck, the smile that isn't hiding the pain of whats gone past but saying it doesn't matter I still got to stand here. As that boy touched my heart for life, I get the feeling the success of this summer is going to rub off on London and Britain. Most people are going to have a special moment from the Olympics or even the Diamond Jubilee this year, and I hope they can carry it with them for the rest of their lives.But remember this its not the occasion that makes the memory, it is the way it touches you. In the same way a hello and smile to a stranger may well have the same affect, you don't know how their day/ week even year has been, but a simple act of a smile can be contagious, like the games makers at the Olympics, lets continue their work.

We all have rough days, where a dark cloud won't leave us, but if we can find something inside us, that little moment of happiness and peace the day will seem easier. I know personally there are days the pain is so hard to live with, that I am unbearable. but what does it solve? nothing long term but stress everyone around me. So why dwell on it, find that something and turn it round. The cost of a smile is nothing, but the value of it?  priceless