A Smile from a Stranger: Give One and You May Get One

Photo by Amir Seilsepour on Unsplash

In the fast-paced whirl of our daily lives, where minutes race by and hours blur into days, we often forget the power of a simple, yet profound act: smiling at a stranger.

I was once one of the people who hurled through the streets with eyes glued to the pavement and mind a million miles away. But one day, a chance meeting with the smile of a stranger turned everything around.

It was a cold, gray morning and the world seemed to be frowning down at me.

Weighed down by the inelegance of my own thoughts I walked through crowded streets quite invisible, a face in a sea of faces. In the midst of this madness, walks by a stranger--a lady with kind eyes and a warm smile.

She smiled at me--a genuine, heartfelt smile. It was the kind of smile that not only said, I see you--but also, I hope your day gets better. A fleeting moment perhaps, but one whose memory has stayed with me to this day.

That one small show of kindness, a smile from a stranger, was like one ray of sunshine breaking through the cloud cover in which my heart had hidden.

It made me see how we're all linked together in the course of life, and how little actions leave impressions.

That smile didn't just bring light to my day, it triggered a change in me.

Ever since that day I've tried to smile at strangers.

Whether walking down the street, standing in line at the coffee shop or sitting on a crowded train, I smile. Fascinating to see the reaction. Some look surprised, some puzzled, most smile back.

So in that exchange there's some implicit understanding, a moment of common humanity not spoken but felt.

Smiling at strangers has taught me a couple of valuable lessons. Firstly, it has made me more aware of the here and now. In order to smile for real, I have to be conscious of my environment. I must really look at the people right here with me in this world. It has added richness and meaning to my everyday life.

Secondly, it has strengthened the notion that kindness is catchy. A smile is a symbol of goodwill and can transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries. Through a smile I'm not only making someone else more cheerful, I might start a chain reaction of positivity.

In addition, this small gesture has helped me shatter my own boundaries.

I've become more open and friendly, which naturally leads to random conversations with new acquaintances. It's amazing how a smile can be the starting point of interaction with real meaning.

But at the same time, one has to realize that not everyone will respond to a smile and it's O.K. People are all at war, and a smile isn't always what they want. The intent made this beautiful act, regardless of its reception.

This practice serves as a reminder to me of what Mother Teresa said -- we will never know all the good that a single smile can do. In amidst our increasingly disconnected world, it's an easy way to reconnect and share some joy.

So when you next go out and about, flash a smile to the stranger.

It costs nothing--yet it can be something. Give one, and you're likely to get one in return. It's a little thing, but it means everything to you and someone who mightn't have anyone else.