No, I'm a gym rat. I watch sports for a living.
I'm partial to fiction if there is a good love story involved...50 Shades of Gray does NOT count...
I'm too literal to really understand many works of literature.
It may be surprising that I do, in fact, have a favorite poem. It should come as no surprise that I found the author to this poem from a movie about baseball.
I think we can all agree that one of the best baseball movies is Bull Durham. Susan Sarandon and Kevin Costner nail baseball in the minor league!
My sophomore year of college I could not go to sleep if I hadn't watched BD. I was in love with Crash Davis. I even named my goldfish after Kevin Costner’s character.
There is a scene where Annie, Susan Sarandon’s character, barges in to Crash's house and they have a huge argument. This is a key point in the movie and one of my favorite scenes. She flips an ironing board over for goodness sakes!
During this argument, and before she admits her true feelings to the handsome catcher, Annie quotes William Blake. Now, I don't remember the quote, but I certainly remember William Blake.
Stay with me, there is a point, I promise.
That same sophomore year I flew to Portland to stand outside the Mormon Temple while a friend from high school got married. I was technically a bridesmaid, but since I'm not Mormon I had to wait outside with the other non-Mormons, including the bride's parents. It was pretty crappy, but I held her mom's hand and acted silly to keep everyone happy.
After the "ceremony" the non-Mormons toured Portland and ended up at a used-book store. With William Blake's name in my head I decided to see what he was about.
I flipped to a couple poems, but I saw one simply titled "The Smile". I was drawn to this as one of my best features at the time was my perpetual smile.
The poem follows:
There is a smile of love, And ther is a smile of deciet,
And there is a smile of smiles
In which these two smiles meet.
And there is a frown of hate,
And there is a frown of disdain,
And there is a frown of frowns
Which you strive to forget in vain;
For it sticks in the heart's deep core,
And it sticks in the deep back bone.
And no smile that ever was smil'd
But only one smile alone,
That betwixt the cradle & grave
It only once smil'd can be;
But when it once is smil'd,
There's an end to all misery.
I was recently reminded of this poem and read it for the umpteenth time. It is so lovely.
Yes, there are many smiles and a certain Cheshire Cat I know definitely has the market on the two Smiles meeting.
The frown of frowns is interesting, because whether you are the cause of, or the one bearing the frown you try to forget but it lingers.
But there is only one smile that ends all misery. And the beauty is that ONE Smile is different to each person. I like to think of it as the smile when you are with a person who fulfills you.
TMAM may think to the first time she saw her beautiful children smile.
Regardless, it's the smile of true love.
So many of my friends are struggling with that smile lately.
There are fantastic men who feel like parts of them are dead because of a woman. I really REALLY wish it was one, but I pluralized "men" for a reason.
As a single girl I used to think it was men who “sucked”. Now, I’m not so sure. People can be cruel regardless of sex. I will say the few women I have in mind for my fabulous male friends really do stink as human beings. However, I think it’s just that guys don’t deal with the crap as well. They don’t talk about stuff that bugs them. They are taught as little boys to “suck it up” and “deal with it like a man”. Some things you just need help with. How do you get your smile back when all you think about is the hurt?
I am the biggest supporter of therapy and talking feelings out. I am fortunate to have an amazing network of friends who help me by listening and offering strong advice when I am ready to hear it.
Everyone should have that.
Everyone should have an outlet for the crap.
As Mr. Blake promises there is a smile. It will be smiled, and when it is there will be an end to the misery.
Heads up my friends! Talk about the crap when you need to. Let people listen…
And until you do find THAT smile...fake it.
Inspiration poem...The Smile by William Blake
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