A Reasons To Smile

Smiling when you aren't feeling well is difficult. Most of us are pretty good at hiding our feelings and emotions even when we are feeling down. 

You might fool someone when you talk to them. You nod while you listen to them talk about their day. You answer some questions or input a thought in between the breaks. You grin, showing your beautiful teeth, and produce lines at the corner of your eyes. If we don't know how to read you because either a) we don't know how to read anyone, or b) don't know you enough to be able to read you, then we might miss how you are truly feeling. We might miss the unsettledness in your eyes, and the distress in the depths of them. 

Image by Giulia Marotta from Pixabay 

You might be the other person. The one that talks and asks questions, and perhaps smiles. You might not know this but sometimes that is what we need. You might be someone who can read us and know the questions to ask. You smile at us and lightly touch our arm. When you do we'll feel the warmth of that touch, and then perhaps be able to smile; a genuine smile from a genuine caring touch. 

Perhaps you walk by a stranger, a stranger with somber eyes. You smile and say hello. You might not know this but sometimes that is what someone needs. A friendly hello. Why? That stranger could be feeling lonely, or has been let down by someone. What if you go above that smile and compliment them? "I like your shoes" or "that shade of orange looks great with your skin tone." It might seem superficial, but perhaps the stranger has been lacking confidence and need a tiny boost to their self-esteem, at least for that moment. 

Smile. We all need more of it.
We need to give a compassionate smile as much as we need to receive it.
It's a small thing we can do.

Have you smiled at anyone today?