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The Importance of a Smile"A SMILE costs nothing, but gives much. It enriches
those who receive, without making poorer those who give. It takes
but a moment,
but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty
that he can get along without it, and none is so poor but that he can
be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good
will in business, and is the countersign of friendship. It brings
rest to the weary,
cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and is nature's best
antidote for trouble. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or
stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it
is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give
them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more
to give." Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch The first word that comes to mind when thinking of
Juanita Mongold is smiley! When I met her, that was her outstanding
feature. Her smile
radiated and truly made me feel at ease. I could only imagine how it
makes the residences feel at Dingledine Hall who get to see her every
day. You see, Juanita Mongold is a Housekeeper at dingledine Hall and
through thick and thin, rain or shine, clean or messy, Juanita is there
brightening up the atmosphere, spreading her positive energy making
the day seem better than it seemed before. Her out look on life and
on her work has been a true inspiration for those around her. She says “she
cleans as though this hall was her home.” And with a smile like
that, it is hard not to feel at home. Her giggly nature is contagious
and lifts you up, even for a moment. There hardly is a time Juanita
is not smiling away. As Grant Schafer, one of Dingledine’s RAs
said, “ Juanita has been a joy during my time as an
RA and if more people in this world had a positive outlook about
work and life, this
world would
be much better off. If people simply smiled half as much as Juanita,
this world would be more pleasant.” She works hard and she gives everything she does 110%
of her. This does not exclude her smile. Grant added “ she
has a smile on her face whether she is helping me clean up resident
vandalism, vomit,
or working long hours because she was forced to spend
half of the day cleaning the football stadium before parent's weekend.” Her wonderful personality and way about work and life has not gone unnoticed,
especially since it is hard not to notice with her smile and her cheery attitude
floating around the hall. Her positive influence on Dingledine was brought to
the attention of her boss, and she was rewarded. And although she has been rewarded
already, we feel she embodies the spirit of all together one and deserves to
be recognized today. Her smile connects to people. Her attitude touches
other’s hearts.
And her whole demeanor spreads out and touches anyone who is around
her. Her smile,
strength and love have truly affected her residence and made their stay at
James Madison University a more pleasant and memorable one. She does all
this not for
anything but because she that is who she really is. A smiley, giggly, uplifting
woman who has touched the lives and hearts of everyone who happens to be
lucky enough to be around her. The JMU community would like to thank Juanita Mongold.
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