The Elderly Lady with the Sweet Smile

There is an elderly woman with whom I often cross paths while she is out on her daily walk with her caretaker. The woman moves very slowly with the aid of a walker. Despite her fragile health and advanced age, however, she always offers a friendly hello accompanied with the sweetest smile you could imagine (a beatific smile, in fact).

I'm always struck by the aura of kindness that she carries. I guess I need to be reminded that, though are bodies deteriorate with the passage of time, our spirit need not follow suit. Her smile feels so sincere that there is no doubt in my mind that it genuinely reflects the joy and peace she feels inside.

I can recall past encounters with elderly people who were similar to this woman in their attitude and presence. But, sadly, they are few and far between. If she doesn't do so already, the woman with the beatific smile ought to visit convalescent hospitals and rest homes. There she will find many peers who are in desperate need of that smile.