Baby Smiles

Nature’s serotonin hit

I saw the world’s happiest baby the other day. He was in one of those front-loading baby carriers, heading out of the grocery store with his mom. The mom was holding him just so, and when she saw that the baby and I had locked eyes and that his full-blown happy mode smile was blasting a smile on my face, she gave her body a little twist so I could have a more perfect view. Her eyes seemed to say, “Yep, I know, I see it all day, it’s amazing and wonderful and filled with pure joy and love and gives you hope for the future. All of those things.” It more or less ignited my heart and painted a smile across my face that’s been there for five days now. It reminded me of a photo I took of my friend Naomi’s baby Mathias a bunch of years ago at the beach. She entered it in some baby photo contest (I want to say Gerber?) where it won first place, and rightfully so.

Mathias (Photo by author)

“Oh, baby, never ever forget how magical life can be, or is about to be. Open your eyes, open your heart. Things are coming.” — Tennessee Williams