The story behind the smile...

The smile from yesterday's post has a story.

A couple of weeks ago I went to my beach house... well actually, I went to my parents home which happens to be in a beachside town, and I happen to be lucky enough to visit them there often. It is my home away from home, and I count myself blessed to have 'the best of both worlds' - my life in an inner city suburb of Melbourne and my beach side retreat at my family home.

I am also totally blessed to have a family who love me and who always greet me with wide open arms and smiles. When I arrived on the Friday afternoon, after a warm drive following a long day of work, my Mum and I took a quick trip down to the beach to dip our toes in the water and cool down a little. Normally we would walk, but Mum had a dodgy ankle so we jumped in the car.

On the way home, she asked if I wanted to see something special and (of course) I said yes. Up the hill, away from the beach and a few corners later and she got me to pull over and we got out of the car and walked back to the spot on the road where this smile was waiting to greet me. Here I was expecting a nest full of freshly hatched chicks, or a painting on some wall, or a beautiful flower or tree... and instead I was being shown a small scar in the asphalt of the road that looked like a smiley face!

And THAT is why I love my Mum so much (that and so many other reasons besides). She has a sparkle and a sense of fun, and also, she knows me so well, she knew that it would bring a smile to my face and she couldn't wait to share it with me.

Love.