Just a Smile

Finn lived in the most depressing place a kid could live, or at least, that’s what he thought of it. No one smiled, no one laughed, no one greeted him a good morning or night, not one neighbor had ever done him a good turn. Finn himself had not done much. After all, what could a measly nine year old do when adults in a haughtily dreary building towered over him like giants?

He had some friends, and they lived in nicer, cheerier, places. There, everyone smiled, everyone laughed, everyone shouted greetings, and all preformed helpful tasks almost in excess. How did his friends’ part of town get that way?

One Sunday, he couldn’t take it anymore. A neighbor had handed him an endless furious tirade about how she thought boys were tiresomely rude. He ran away, as fast as his legs could take him. He hadn’t done anything; he had just walked past her. The thought send him hurling even faster through the town’s twists. The trouble about running away was that there wasn’t anywhere to run to.

Exhausted, but not lost, he stopped. His eyes lit on a grand building as he caught his breath. Finn gazed at it longingly, and a strong compulsion to enter filled him. He slowly made his way in.

It was dark, but not pitch black. It was utterly silent, but peaceful. There was no one else in sight, yet Finn could feel Someone there. There were long wood brown benches, but they were very comfortable and were all facing the same way. Along the walls of the rectangle building, were images. Some were frightening, but most marvelously depicted. Near the front, was a statue. It was one of a beautiful lady clothed in blue, her arms stretched out as if wanting to embrace him. Finn smiled back at her, though his could never compare to her warm one. She was lovely. As Finn stood in front of her, he knew what was lacking in his part of town. Finn thanked the lady, and departed from the church.

He came home, walking this time. The first person he saw was the surly neighbor who had given him the tirade. He stopped, and so did she. Finn swallowed, and before she could snap at him, Finn presented to her a smile so warm; she gaped at him in astonishment. Finn smiled with his heart and asked her if he could do anything for her. Suspicious, but flattered, she declined his offer. Finn walked to his apartment with his unceasing grin.

A year later, Finn sat on a high wall near his apartment. Everyone was smiling, everyone was laughing, everyone was greeting, and everyone had done another good. Finn smiled and chewed a cookie his no longer surly neighbor had given him.


"At last I have found my calling. My calling is love." - St. Therese
Quote found here