If we can't smile, how will we survive? But is the smile real or put on to make others happy? Maybe the person smiling feels anything but the desire to smile. I see this in the drawings seriously ill people do. They will draw a big smile on the face of the main character, even though they have life-threatening illness and to quote one patient "a husband who's never there when you need him."

Or ask someone, "How are you?" He will almost always answer, "Fine," even if his house has just burned down! When I answer, "Better" when asked the above question people always want to know what's wrong. I say, "Nothing's wrong. I'm just getting better."

I refuse to stop smiling. I find things to smile about because I know life is an adventure and Lord knows what is coming tomorrow. I don't think anyone would come back from their grave and say, "Get serious." But I do think they would come back and say, "Lighten up." So be a little crazy and smile. Get better at it.

Solution of the Day: As Woody Allen said, "Life is full of miserableness, loneliness, unhappiness, and suffering. And it's all over much too quickly." So let a smile be your umbrella and protect you from the rain of despair.

Bernie S. Siegel in 365 Prescriptions for the Soul