Under that face mask, share-a-smile

Oh my, what can happen in one year? There have been births and deaths, celebrity sightings and political strategizing, travel wonders and travel warnings, extremes in the weather, and days of inexplicable sorrow and delight. The Earth has traveled its course around the sun and new marvels and challenges have emerged.

None have been more life-changing than the challenge with which we are now all facing. COVID-19 - a dangerous, lethal virus - that has disrupted our daily lives forcing people around the world to stay home to stay safe. Lives have been lost as healthcare workers, scientists, and world leaders push for answers that will eradicate the virus and return economic stability to all.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Optimist Club meetings, among other gatherings, events, and daily business, have been canceled or postponed. Individuals are allowed out of the home for essential services and it appears that soon we'll be going back to our traditional lives in a "new normal" way.

One of the staples of our new normal will be the face mask, worn to protect ourselves and others from the airborne transmission of the deadly virus. Optimist Club members from the Share-A-Smile Optimist Club wants to lead the reminder that life is good. Under that face mask, remember to just keep smiling.

A smile lifts your spirit and your eyes will transmit its warmth to all you meet. Share-a-smile, your smile, with others today.

#BeAnOptimist

It's pretty easy to talk smack. It's sad when the President of the United States does so frequently
without batting an eye. From "Crooked Hillary" to "Sleepy Joe," another election season is enveloping the US, and the world, and pushing through just like a tornado.

That's why it is important to be an optimist. We must divert our attention from the Twitter feed and the 24-hour news cycle that often shares negative stories or negative angles to what might otherwise be just news - something that happened - and nothing else.

One way to be an optimist is to read, recite, and share the Optimist Creed. Shown to the right is the second tenet of the Optimist Creed: "Promise yourself to talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet."

If everyone would just do that, the world would be a much more pleasant place to live. It's a good place to be already. Don't you want to make it better?

• Download a printable copy of the Optimist Creed here. 
• Enjoy the Optimist Creed online here.  

Do your part. #BeAnOptimist