There were a lot of negative things that happened this week. Unfortunately the world is still full of hate and it is growing. We feel so helpless when up against these people. Of course that is part of why I do the Weekly Smile – my one little positive thought can’t do a lot, but when a lot of us are sharing positive things, perhaps we can start momentum in the other direction.
Which leads to this week’s smile.
I took a long walk on West Dennis beach on Saturday morning. It was very peaceful and refreshing. After a while I noticed a few small pieces of plastic. I had some doggie “poo bags” in my pocket (made from plant products and biodegradable ;) ), so I took one out and started to collect plastic. I didnt’ get a lot, which is good, meaning the beach was relatively clean, but I did pick up a couple of dozen tiny pieces and a couple of larger pieces.
OK, I am not naive. There are many millions of tons of plastic in our oceans. They are finding that every organism in the ocean, even in the most pristine places imaginable, now have plastic in their systems. Tons of plastic go into the ocean every second of every day and I picked up less than a percent of a percent of a percent of a… you get the picture.. My handful of plastic was inconsequential.
Or was it?
Even when pitted against an unstoppable tide, we all need to do our part, no matter how small. It wont make a huge difference – changing our plastic-reliant culture is the only way to do that – but it will make a small difference if we all do it. And it will help change the perception that makes us so reliant on single use plastic.
The walk on the beach itself was a good smile. Picking up those couple of dozen pieces of plastic also made me smile, even though in the large scheme of things, it was nothing.
Just as my picking up litter did almost nothing compared to the litter that is out there, my tiny smile does nothing against the hatred out there that makes people think it is OK to take dozens of innocent lives. But like my minuscule attempt at the plastic problem, perhaps all of bits of positivity that all of us put out there can help slowly steer the craft of society in a better direction.
That is my smile this week, one itty-bitty, tiny thing that hopefully helps contribute to the greater good.
What made you smile?
West Dennis beach (not this weekend):
****
Come on, I’m sure you smiled at least once last week. Why don’t you share it? I hope you can join in!
Here is list of “rules” and guiding ideas. If you don’t have time to read it right now, just remember that this is an exercise to spread positivity. Don’t smile about the misfortune of others. Don’t smile in a way to excludes others. Make sure a 12 year old can read it.
And remember, the Smile can be anything, large or small. Nothing, nothing at all is too small for a Smile! Sometimes taking time to notice those small, every day smiles is more important than those once in a lifetime huge ones :)
To join in, write a post to share your smile and then leave a comment on this post with a link to your smile. Or, if you prefer, do a pingback to this post (pingback = have a link from your post to this one). You can post any time until next Sunday evening (to be simple, I will say midnight GMT, which is 7 PM Sunday for me). Next week I will compile all of the Smiles and do a separate post of them on Monday morning just before the smile. (I will shoot for around 7 AM EST).
Try to use the hashtag #WeeklySmile when you use Twitter or other social media that uses hashtags. I searched Twitter and found that #weeklysmile had been used only a handful of times back in 2012 and 2013. It hasn’t been used since. So it’s ours! I also registered it on Twubs.
You can use the graphic at the top. It is the official graphic for the event.
Now go out there and find something to smile about! :)
***
“There are days I go in search of the kind, compassionate, loving and beautiful. Despite what we sometimes see on the news, FB and elsewhere, there is much more beauty in the world than ugliness, much more kindness than hate or cruelty. Perhaps we should all have a goal to make at least one person smile every day.”
Trent's World (the Blog) 
Every little effort counts and so does talking about it. We make conscious attempts at inculcating a good habit mindfully but it may wear off eventually and it is these dialogues that remind us of what difference we are capable of creating starting ‘now’.
Thank you for sharing your reason for a smile this week (last week).
I actually wrote a post on the 18th but missed the deadline for pingingback to the last week’s #weeklysmile and reading what made others smile. But it would be great if you could add me in the recap 03/18 to 03/25/2019. I am catching up.
https://nothingisabsolut.wordpress.com/2019/03/19/the-weekly-smile-01/
I will be joining again this week without a miss.
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I just read your Smile for the week, and you answered the question I left for you – I’ll add you to the recap.
Yes, every bit does help. As the saying goes, think globally and act locally.
I look forward to seeing your smile for this week. And welcome back to blogging :)
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Pingback: Weekly Smile Recap 3/18 – 3/25/2019 | Trent's World (the Blog)
Hi – mea again – and had one more chime in about body oils/lotions/butters (and thanks again for sharing your tips for blending)
well our friends were visiting this month and they are seeing a health specialist who has them taking desiccated liver, enzymes, etc. – (all good stuff) and K told me that the guy told her to rub Flaxseed oil on her scars. He suggested that scars hold on to things (like germs, allergies, etc) – or they can and so a few times a day she was putting the organic oil on her belly button (a big scar) and a few other places.
I have tried it – and also tried the Flaxseed oil on the face and it was nice – just wanted to share that
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That’s an interesting one. I may have to try it.
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Cool – let me know if you do – ;)
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Will do.
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Pingback: Still smiling. | Change Is Hard
Glad you got a a walk on the beach, and also glad you picked up what plastic you saw. My folks picked up litter on their daily walk for years. Eventually the neighbors stopped throwing it out their car windows, in deference, I guess, to the two old folks who were very clearly out there daily picking it up. Change is hard, but it can happen.
Off now to do my Smile post for this week. Thank you for hosting…makes me smile.
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Very good for your parents. I don’t enough. Of course most of the time I have two 75 + lb dogs, so it would be difficult, but I should when I don’t have them.. Yes, change is hard (sounds like a good name for a blog ;) ), and I believe it can happen. Looking forward to seeing your smile :)
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Pingback: The Weekly Smile | Light Motifs II
(Just in case… – https://lightmotifs.wordpress.com/2019/03/19/the-weekly-smile-8/)
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Thanks! I don’t know why my pingback didn’t work. When I click it, it gets me here.
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If we all did our part – no matter how little – it would go a long way towards bigger things. Like improving our environment and bringing about peace. Every little bit does count!
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Every little bit does help. It might seem overwhelming, but even a tiny bit is something.
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https://tessacandoit.com/2019/03/19/the-weekly-smile-03-18-2019-weeklysmile-painting-class/
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forgot to change the title, this is not about painting classes this time. LOL
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lol. I din’t notice until you pointed it out. You can edit the title (or you may have – I haven’t looked yet), but the URL will still be that. (Technically, you can change the link too, but that is more of a pain….)
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OK, I see that you did change the title already. You were way ahead of me then. :)
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Yeah I know it is possible to change that link, but like you said it is more of a pain.
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Thanks, Tess! I’ll be by soon to take a look.
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Pingback: The Weekly Smile 03/18/2019 #weeklysmile – painting class | Tessa Can Do It! Positivity is Catching!
It seems like so little in the face of such a vast quantity of plastic waste. I also do what I can, but it does seem like so little in the face of so much.
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It is so very little, a minuscule portion of a tiny fraction of it, but if we all tried, it would help. Of course, the only thing that will solve it is for the large companies that push the plastics change, and that won’t happen until either governments force it or people don’t buy their products. Don’t see either happening real soon…
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Cheers to you trying to see the positive in an environment focusing on negativity. Beach walks are good for the soul – and picking up a relatively little helps. Well done, sir!
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Thanks, Frank. No matter how small the impact, we can all help. I think I’ve had too few walks on the beach – I want to take one every day ;)
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This is kind of like a “oh how cute” smile:)
https://wp.me/p9EWyp-DP
Thank s for hosting!
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Thanks for joining in this week! I’ll stop by in a few minutes and take a look at your “oh, how cute!” smile :)
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Love love love this, Trent! I am with you. I do lots of little acts to clean up the environment where I am. Thank you, this post is inspiring to me.
I just did my blog contribution—-on gratitude. We must be in a similar mindset.
Sending you blessings this week, Trent.
Debbie
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I do try to clean up around myself when I notice, but when I am out and about I usually don’t take the time to notice – that’s the key, noticing.
I will go check out your post in a few minutes :)
Thanks!
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I had a few smiles and will try and connect one from my post to this one! I keep forgetting but I want to be part of the weekly smile even if once a month / and cheesy – but I got some Shea butter and omg was it s gift – dry winter skin soaked it right up and just praising God for it (oh the little things)
And plastics really scare me
Not just the waste (as you noted) but the chemicals we constantly get in our body – baby milk is stored in plastic bags – and I was thinking how much more is.
Anyhow – cheers to your picking up what you could find – was hoping for s picture of the little baggies of items
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No photos of the poo bag, even if was plastic and not poo ;)
Shea butter is my favorite! I started buying raw shea butter by the pound. There is very little else that does as well on my skin, except for pure oils. Just about all name brand “moisturizers” have mineral oils, which dry skin out. I break out in terrible rashes with anything that has mineral oils.
Which brings us back to plastics and all of the chemicals we put in and on our bodies…
I am sensitive to a lot of chemicals. Anyway, that’s a post for another time….
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Same here T – chemicals and I do not get along ….
And I have had she’s butter mixes before but this is the first time I had the pure stuff and I always thought it was for folks who were making their own essential oil creams .
And I think mineral oil is now on my “stay away” from list.
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I do make my own – pretty easy. Just melt the shae butter and mix it with oil. It makes it easier to work with than straight raw out of the package!
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Thanks for the tip – I bought Now foods one pound and might try lavender in it
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I haven’t used any essential oils or anything for fragrance, just mix it with avocado and grape seed oils so it rubs in easily.
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Got it … o have sweet almond oil and a avacado –
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Right, those will work. If you want essential oils as well, I’m sure that would work.
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Ok – I could look it up (and do have a site to check out) but was wondering if you could tell me real quick which brands you use and how you mix the trio? Just curious
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For grapeseed and olive (yes I use it on my skin) I use what’s in the grocery story. For avocado and I just picked up almond, I use what Amazon suggested – I think it is “now”. I use a glass jar sitting in water on the stove to melt the shae butter. I just eyeball about 50 50, maybe a little heavier on shea. Mix well and mix several times while it is hardening. The oils I use a little more avocado – I wipe myself down at the end of my shower with a mix that is heavier on the olive, grape seed. I have to do this because my skin bleeds all winter if I don’t…. for the melting, etc., I just watched a video on youtube. Pretty easy.
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thanks a lot!
I really appreciate it and I will make some blends.
Right now I have just been using straight almond oil – or straight shae butter (my one pound is already half gone because my skin drank that stuff up – and i had no idea it also have vitamin a, e, and other wonderful things).
For years I have used “avalon organics” lotions – all natural – touch of glycerin – and just great – but this year I needed different – and then stupidly I tried stuff from local store – and my skin was mad (parabens and chemicals and maybe mineral oil) but the marketing and scent lured me. Never again… I know better, Trent.
And I like (love) NOW – and have a huge tub of their pure lanolin – heals lips and love it for some things – but too thick to go on as a body moisturizer.
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I have nothing to report yet but your post has really cheered me. Thank you.💜
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I’m glad you got a smile from it :) Thank You :)
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Thank you Trent💜
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Pingback: The Weekly Smile 3/18/2018 | Nut House Central
Adding Colleen’s Smile to this week’s Weekly Smile (she missed the deadline): https://collinesblog.com/2019/03/18/drawing-together/
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