Your Face

The Three Weeks are here again. We are fasting, once more, still in this galus...still waiting for the beis hamikdosh to be rebuilt.

As we know, the purpose of a fast day is to bring us to do teshuva. When we refrain from eating, hopefully, our brains are less distracted by the foods we would be eating and we can focus on things that are important-the changes we would like to make, that we save for some other day...and we can actually use this day to accomplish something good, to become a better person in a small way.

Bein adam lachaveiro-these are three little words that include so much.

Throughout the day, we interact with many different people-on the phone, in person and even in writing-text, chat, email, and perhaps some old fashioned pen to paper letter writing.

There are things we can do to improve and to enhance our interactions with those we come in contact with.

I want to focus on one area-an area that may be easy for some people and more of a challenge for others.

I recently told someone about the concept of "your face is public property" and she found that thought so profound. She never heard it expressed that way and she loved it.

Let's face it. Some days are just plain hard. We're not in the mood of smiling. We don't want to "fake it til we make it". 

But...did Hashem create us with a mirror in front of our face so we can see ourselves all day? 

Who sees us when we go outside? 

Should we be walking around with a sour expression on our faces when there's a world out there with people looking at us? 

If you had a garden in front of your house, how would you want it to look? Would you like a nice, manicured front lawn with beautiful flowers for everyone to look at and enjoy (if they weren't so busy with their cell phones texting and browsing all day lol)? Or would you want a garden with overgrown leaves and weeds and some poison ivy just to top it off? :)

What kind of message do you want to give over to people who see you?

When you get dressed in the morning, don't you check to make sure your shirt is not stained, you look neat and put together and that there's no chas v'shalom...gasp...run in your tights? :-)

So...ask yourself each morning...before you leave your house...how well dressed is my face? And I'm not talking about makeup-although that does help sometimes. The expression on your face is just as important...if not more so.

Remember...your face is public property. 

Keep it beautiful...keep it happy...and let that positivity spread to others.

May Hashem give you many reasons to keep that smile pasted on your face...every single day!