Smiles last forever

about 10 years ago i worked in a local high school for a short time with young adults who had developmental disabilities. One young man diagnosed with cerebral palsy stood in a prone stand during the hour I was in his room. He had blue eyes that lit up when he laughed, loved to play jokes or be teased, and enlivened every moment i spent in a difficult room. leaving work today a man zipped up to the school in a racy wheelchair. I spoke to him and made him laugh then went to my car. 75 feet away, i realized he was the young man i'd known before. Speech is not easy for him, so when i asked his name he whipped up a small red and yellow magnadoodle where KC was written. I reminisced and told him how much his laughter had helped my days. His eyes crinkled with delight. Connexions, positive emotional joys, these are what make us human, and make being human worthwhile.