Claire Royals Wilson, a fifth-grader at Frank Porter Graham Elementary School, recently won first place in the literature category of the 2007-08 N.C. PTA Reflections contest 'I Can Make a Difference ..." (intermediate age group) for her essay "One Smile."


"One Smile"

By Claire Royals Wilson

Anyone can change the world. Every small ounce of love counts, every time you give someone a hug, or tell them you love them, it counts, but I think everyone is changing the world. I know that anyone is able to change the world, they just don't realize how.

Many people might begin their story by saying some courageous thing that might save the world. Some may say that they will go to Africa and help all the children with AIDS, others might say that they will protest or march to end war, but I can think of something that everyone can do to make a difference, and little by little the world will change.

One smile. A ticket to happiness, a truth in a world of lies, a light in the darkest corner. It can lighten up any stormy weather. If you smile and are happy, others will be happy with you, others will smile too. People will see that you take time for others and that you care about other people.

Some may doubt this, others don't even pay attention, but the earth is a safer place when people are kinder and kinder people will always have a smile on. Even if you're just walking by someone a smile can change their day.

Those of you who read this may not even be alive when the world reaches that point of happiness and perfection, but in my heart my life is already as perfect as it's going to get. Even if no person can ever get exactly what they want when they want we can always focus on the things we do have and realize how extremely lucky we are to even be alive.

A smile is a pathway to bigger, greater things. The next time you get the chance, smile because you never know who could be watching. To make a difference on earth just smile.

A smile is a chance. A chance for everyone to be...