Why is My Sponge So Darn Happy?

Some things in life simply defy explanation. Why does grout discolor? Why do spiders gather in our guestroom bathtub? And why, for goodness sake, is my sponge smiling? Yes. My sponge is smiling. Wait. Are you telling me that your sponge doesn’t smile? Well, we have to talk.

I Want to Learn How to Smile

Some of us are not natural smilers. I’m one of those people. I think it has to do with the muscles in my face. For me, smiling requires a focused effort. It’s not that I’m unhappy. Or, something hurts. Though you’d never know from the expression on my face. Whenever a photographer says smile, I admit to being confused. Aren’t I already smiling? And saying cheese doesn’t seem to help.

But I Love a Beautiful Smile

If you have perfectly white teeth, smiling is a wonderful thing. But for those of us with small mouths, and even smaller teeth, smiling should be arbitrary. Now, my husband Jeff has teeth like chicklets. When he smiles, the room lights up. It’s nice to see that smile in the morning. It’s a sign that the day is going well and I haven’t screwed up yet. There’s always time for that later.

Hey, Guy. What Are You Smiling At?

Growing up in New York City, you learn not to smile at strangers. It’s not that New Yorkers aren’t friendly. They are very friendly. Ask any New Yorker on the street a question, they’ll stop and help you out. But smiling randomly, well, that can be an invitation to trouble. I learned early on to avert my gaze and be grateful for my poker face. Especially when you’re riding the New York City subway system. If no one knows what you’re thinking, all is good.

And Then There’s My Sponge

Recently, I started to use a new kitchen sponge. I didn’t buy it. I think we swiped it from a Timeshare property we stayed at over the summer. Or maybe it came in the mail as a promo. Whatever. The point is, there’s a smiley face cut into the sponge. Think of a Halloween pumpkin. At first, I thought, this is going to be annoying. There’s this missing surface where the eyes and mouth are carved out. That can’t be helpful when cleaning up. But I was wrong. The sponge works great. And when you squeeze out the excess water, the sponge bounces back into a bright, joyful smile.

What’s That You Say?

Now, when I stand at the sink, I see this very happy sponge smiling at me. I know. You’re thinking, I’ve finally lost it. Well, I haven’t. It’s just whoever came up with the idea for the sponge was a genius. It’s a wonderful thing to see an inanimate object so happy. Especially when doing something as mundane as washing dishes. Yes. In our house, we wash the dishes before they go into the dishwasher. Crazy, huh? But that’s a blog for another day.

And Now, For Something a Little Extra!

I’ve been doing a lot of speaking lately to promote my novel Boca by Moonlight. So today, I thought I’d share an excerpt from the novel. I hope you take a few moments to check it out. And before I forget, here’s wishing you and your family the very best of the Holiday Season and a Happy & Healthy New Year. May these last days of December be filled with joy!