Soul Smile

The pure joy of being all in—My Sunday Best #100

Earlier this week, I was blessed with a visit from my son, daughter-in-law, and two grandkids. We sat around the fire pit, made s’mores, went to the water park, and celebrated the youngest grandson’s 4th birthday. I soaked up every moment I had with them.

I noticed something extraordinary while looking through the pictures I took at the water park. Although many of the photos were blurry with water drops, in every photo, as they were coming out the end of the water slide, each person had a huge smile on their face—without exception. I wondered what it was about the water slide that brought on such a big smile. Then I remembered. It wasn’t just any smile. It came from somewhere deep within—a soul smile rising from the pure, authentic joy of being fully in the moment.

I recognized the smile. It’s an involuntary smile—one that can’t be held back. I’ve experienced it myself—riding a galloping horse through a meadow, skiing down a mountain of fresh powder, jumping off a rock into an ice-cold spring, and other moments of wild abandonment. These experiences had one thing in common—I was all in. Every part of my being was involved in what I was doing at that time and place. It was nothing I could control—it just happened the moment I let go of my white-knuckled grasp on what felt safe and jumped in, with both feet, so to speak.

A few weeks ago, we played a gig in a restaurant divided into two rooms. One side was the dining room, and the other was a bar. We were set up on the bar side, near the opening that joined the two rooms. While we were playing, a young girl, maybe five or six years old, came to the doorway and peeked at us. A few minutes later, she put one foot into the room and stepped back, looking over her shoulder to see if her parents were paying attention. She did it a few more times, and each time, she moved a little to the music. Then, suddenly, she stepped in with both feet and let loose, dancing with all of her tiny self and a smile big enough to fill the room. She was all in. Her joy reverberated throughout the room, and her smile was contagious.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be fully in the moment—without distraction or hesitation. Years ago, I remember listening to Ellen DeGeneres comment on driving and talking on a cell phone at the same time. She said, “If you need both of your hands for whatever it is you're doing, then your brain should probably be in on it too.”

Being all-in is always an option. It’s a choice. The little girl on the dance floor showed me exactly how it’s done. It starts with one step and then another. That’s it, you’re in, and there’s nowhere else to be but on the dance floor. It’s the same with the water slide—climb to the top, let go, and enjoy the ride. I imagine I’ll be practicing the art of being all in for the rest of my life, but I can’t think of anything better than living a life full of soul smiles.

Talking 'bout soulshine. It's better than sunshine. It's better than moonshine. Damn sure better than rain. And now people don't mind. We all feel this way sometimes. Gotta let your soul shine. Shine till the break of day. —Soul Shine written by Warren Haynes