Remember to always smile.

Hear the words of Roberto Carlos, the legendary footballer, whose feet struck thunder on the field and whose spirit carried the warmth of joy: “Remember to always smile.” At first, it seems but a simple exhortation, easy to dismiss as a phrase of comfort. Yet hidden within these few words is a command for the soul, a reminder that the smile is not only an expression of happiness but a weapon against despair, a beacon to others, and a mirror of inner strength.

The origin of this counsel lies in the life of Carlos himself. Born into hardship in Brazil, raised in poverty, he walked the long road from obscurity to glory. Along this path, trials abounded: rejection, injury, and the weight of expectation. Yet through it all, he carried the same lesson that he now passes on—to never forget the smile, even when burdened. For the smile is not a denial of struggle, but a declaration that joy cannot be conquered by hardship.

The ancients would have understood this. Consider the Stoic philosophers, who taught that though fate cannot be controlled, one’s response can be. To smile in the midst of adversity is to show that the heart is free, no matter the chains upon the body. Or think of the teachings of the Buddha, who told his disciples to meet suffering not with bitterness but with compassion and serenity. The smile, then, is both shield and offering—a way of enduring, and a way of uplifting others.

History too offers its witness. Recall the story of Viktor Frankl, survivor of the Holocaust, who wrote that even in the camps, stripped of everything, one could still choose one’s attitude. He told of prisoners who shared a joke, who exchanged a knowing smile, and in those fleeting moments, they became more powerful than their oppressors. For the one who smiles declares to the world: you may darken my circumstances, but you shall not darken my soul.

Carlos’s words remind us also of our responsibility to others. To smile is not only to heal oneself, but to send forth light. The tired worker, the anxious child, the lonely stranger—all may find their spirits lifted by the simple act of another’s smile. It costs nothing, yet its value is beyond gold. In this way, the smile becomes not only a personal strength, but an act of charity, a form of silent kindness that requires no speech yet speaks volumes.

The lesson is clear: in every circumstance, great or small, remember. Remember that bitterness closes the heart, but the smile opens it. Remember that hardship will pass, but the spirit you cultivate endures. Remember that your face is not only your own—it is seen by others, and what they see may shape their day, perhaps even their destiny. To forget to smile is to forget the power you carry within you to shape the world around you.

Therefore, beloved, let this be your practice: when you rise in the morning, set a smile upon your lips as a shield for the day. When you meet another, offer it as a gift. And when sorrow comes, let the smile remind you that no storm can last forever, and that within you lies the strength to endure. For as Roberto Carlos has spoken, the command is not casual but eternal: remember to always smile, for in that remembrance lies the triumph of the human spirit.