On a recent evening, I was playing songs for my son as he was trying to go to sleep. I was lightly strumming a ukelele and quietly singing some tunes, including Hey Soul Sister, I Won't Back Down, Where Have All the Flowers Gone?, and a few others, and I got the irrepressible urge to smile. The uke does that to you. The simplicity of the instrument just has a great effect on things. I don't normally go all sappy but some images popped into my head as I was playing. The image was of many friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances I've met over the years smiling. From college gatherings to the garage band in high school, the laughing on scout trips, the joking on the ships I worked on...people I haven't thought of in a long time to people that I see almost everyday, people that are still among us and many who have embarked on their next adventures. I can't imagine that there is any drug out there that could have produced a better feeling (I think I can finally help Huey Lewis....anyone know his phone number?). So try a uke, and see if it makes you smile.