On a sunny day, the lush green leaves of the trees were picturesque. The view of the garden and pine trees was clearly visible from my house window. After finishing my gardening work of weeding, fertilizing, and watering at 12:30 pm, I realized I needed to work harder during the Covid-19 pandemic as my garden was my only source of income. With no guests at my inn, the current atmosphere was filled with anguish, impatience, grief, friction, rivalry, and personal prestige, making it hard for people to smile. However, I decided to smile wholeheartedly to spread joy and took a picture with my digital camera.
I sat in front of the dragon statue, a relic from my parents' era, and struggled to smile genuinely for the camera. Negative moods from the outside made it difficult, but I persisted until my lips vibrated. Even a forced smile can look genuine.
This photograph is the perfect result of my countless attempts to practice the heartfelt-smile. I lost count, maybe it was the 60th or more, but I finally achieved a sweet smile. I realized my cheek muscles had become rigid from lack of use. Even when I tried to smile, my face would vibrate and tremble. But I persisted, determined to create a smiley face that I could share with everyone.
Wow! You rock! Thank you for reading. It's a familiar routine for my dog, Blackxi, to approach me whenever I'm relaxing in the wide doorway of my home. While taking selfies, I picked her up and put her in my lap. Though she wasn't fond of it, I managed to pose with her for a photo. Unfortunately, she didn't look at the camera and I had to smile alone.
There's always a second chance, and I believe in that idiom. I was ready to take another selfie with Blackxi and gently coaxed her to look at the camera. With my index finger poised on the shutter button, I clicked as soon as she turned her head. But alas, the shot was a miss as Blackxi turned her head even further to the left. Once again, I ended up smiling alone in the photo.
"Don't give up... Don't give up...! You can break the rule about second chances and keep trying," I told myself. I decided to try again, this time with more excitement to capture Blackxi's attention. I practiced smiling for a few minutes, trying to make it look as excited as possible. Finally, I felt ready. I lifted Blackxi onto my lap and pointed her towards the camera, maintaining my excited smile. I clicked the shutter button, hoping for the best... but she still didn't want to look at the camera. Despite my efforts, I ended up smiling alone once again.
Patience is key... Patience will bring happiness. I gently shook Blackxi, rocked her, and stroked her fur softly. She tried to jump off my lap, but I held her tightly. My right hand was starting to feel sore from holding the camera for so long. I kept telling myself, "If Blackxi and I can smile together in front of the camera, it will bring joy to my blog's visitors." Finally, I saw that she was looking at the camera, so I quickly pressed the shutter button - CLICK...-! Here, I smiled shyly with relief. I almost gave up, but patience paid off.
Do dogs feel shy when looking at the camera, or are they not confident about being photographed? Half-obsessed, I tried once more to capture a shot with a confident feeling, smiling with full confidence! I lifted my chest, and so did Blackxi. I filled myself with a sense of belief that this was going to succeed. I strengthened my smile and kept my chest upright while lifting Blackxi's body and pointing her towards the camera lens.
Now, I understand my dog Blackxi's personality. She loves playing around me, but she doesn't like being carried or photographed. Despite this, I kept trying to take a selfie with her, smiling with all my might. But then, I had an epiphany! I am an unstoppable force in the universe. I won't give up until I achieve my goal. I was determined to capture a heartfelt smile on both of our faces, which I can share with the world and make you smile. And finally, here it is, the photograph below!
I managed to make Blackxi look at the camera by using my hand. Yes... I am an unstoppable force of the universe.
I felt satisfied with the photos I took with Blackxi, so I released her to play around me. However, she just sat on the floor next to me. I decided to spend my spare time in the afternoon reading a novel by C.J. Sansom called "The Winter in Madrid." But, I didn't want to miss capturing this moment and turning it into a beautiful memory for the future. So, I grabbed my digital camera once again and decided to take a picture in the style of social media pictures, featuring my legs and feet. As I posed for the photo, I smiled to myself.
I was intrigued to photograph my legs and feet, so I took a picture. CLICK...! Oh my God...! My feet looked so sad, terrible...! But once again, I reminded myself that I am an unstoppable force of the universe. I must be able to make my feet smile cheerfully. With this belief, I managed to take a perfect selfie with my dog, and my feet also looked great in the picture. You can see the picture below.
I hope to share my happiness with a heartfelt smile that I have successfully achieved. And if you are happy after reading this story, please be generous and share it with your friends. That's all from me...I'm okay! Thanks.
Best of luck to you!
Santosa Laksana
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