When we think back on decisions that we have made, some of them look to be for the best, while others might have seemed like wrong choices. The ones we reflect upon in regret may not really have been the wrong selections. A person might be kicking himself or herself for not buying that piece of property or stock, that ended up soaring in value. Or a person might be downtrodden because of investing a big part of his/her savings in something that plummeted. But perhaps not making a big score was the better thing to happen. Suffering a financial setback for one person might have resulted in a positive swing for someone else, which may have resulted in saving the lives of children, for example. These “life decisions” can sometimes be notable crossroads at different parts of our lives.

But there are other parts of life that involve people, which might end up being only temporary, but are necessary.

We coordinate with different individuals that make turns on their own path which allow them to run in the same direction as us at the same time. You might be on a road trip, when your car breaks down. A motorist going in a direction that he doesn’t normally follow might be the one who gets you to safety. That would be one of those short-term intersections between people.

Bowling leagues demonstrate this ‘meeting point for people’ in an effective manner and last for a longer period. You can bowl in leagues for years, and then once in a while, you come into contact with new members, and enjoy quality time with them over the span of weeks or even years. This turns out to be of reciprocal benefit for all those involved, and a wonderful filling of voids in people’s lives.

When these members move on to different leagues after a few years, or even out of bowling completely, they may distance themselves from each other, not by choice, but simply as a consequence of continuing on their own timeline to their next stops. These subsequent ‘stopping points’ are not only destinations, but also might even be designations from a Higher Authority, in places where you’re better suited for the next stage of life’s journey. It can be a little depressing when people go in different directions after a while, but that’s why each life is filled with dozens, or even hundreds, of friends and acquaintances. When one moves on, another takes that spot. This is all part of the Divine Plan – at least, that’s my take. But it’s also my belief that these people will see each other again in the next part of what awaits us at a later time.

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• Whether it be between strangers or friends, when people meet each
  other, sometimes for the first time, a smile is the best ice-breaker. The
  exchanging of smiles upon greetings is the basis, and a reminder, toward
  looking for the good in people.
• To the person down on his luck, a smile can help to uplift him – at
  least a little.
• To the executive who’s stressed out, attacked from all sides and at his
  breaking point, a smile from a complete stranger can help him realize that
  the whole world isn’t against him.
• To the lonely, a smile brings a moment of togetherness
• To the unloved, a smile instills hope
• For the children, a smile welcomes them
• From the children, a smile touches your heart
• For the elderly, a smile shows care
• A smile can help to ease someone else’s pain, for it takes their mind
  off their anguish for a moment
• In competition, a “game face” might be a form of offense, but a smile
  is a strong defense, for it shows that you’re not worried about the outcome
• For your pets, they know you mean them no harm if you give them a
  smile.
• Just remember, angels are all around us, but we don’t recognize them
  – we’re not supposed to. But that special gleam in an eye from an unfamiliar
  smiling face might be a Divine Gift to you. Feel good about it.
  But, we’re all human, and sometimes we can’t summon a smile. That’s
  okay, too. People will understand.

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