Spread Smile Series # 2

Smile

There she is! With her rocket science!

If that is what you are thinking, I wouldn’t blame you. All are aware that smiling is the best way to spread smiles. But how many of us really smile? Oh no! Not at our friends, but at people in general?

An Anecdote

I was once waiting for my sister on my Lavy. The road was narrow and there was no place to keep my scooter. So I had kept it as close to the wall as possible thinking I’ll move it when the need arises. As I sat there, a car came and by the time I could move my vehicle, the honking had begun. The impatience was at the highest when the men inside started screaming at the top of their voices, shouting obscenities. I have a soft voice. I can shout but it will not be heard above the average voices. Reasoning with them was impossible. I somehow used all the energy in me and shouted back asking them to speak with respect and that I was anyway moving the vehicle.

People learn certain things from home, some from neighborhood and the rest from what they see around them. Here, during circumstances like this, I have ALWAYS noticed that people behave very rudely. Where a conversation or a request could easily get them through, they use abuses, make things complicated and then get their things done.

Why this hostility?

I, at times used to speak rudely to strangers and I realized I got this habit from people like them. They must have learnt this similarly and everyone thinks this is how you speak to strangers. Because, we have been taught from childhood to be careful with strangers, to keep them at bay and that we don’t have to respect them!

I appreciate the sentiments behind it. Do not give sensitive information to strangers. Be careful while striking conversation with strangers. But a simple smile, gives nothing away. Just smile. When people begin with smiling, the warmth will spread. How will you shout at a person when you are used to smiling at people? Now, I wouldn’t say it is easy. Here are some things you might need to keep in mind:

• If you are not used to smiling at strangers, it will take time to give your genuine smile. It’s because you are already wondering what others will think. They are strangers! It doesn’t matter what they think. Keep up the smile. The genuine smile will come with practice.
• When you smile, ensure that they have made eye contact with you and then smile.
• Many aren’t used to smiling to strangers. So, when you smile at them, some of them will be in a state of shock. Some of them might look at you suspiciously. They may not smile back. Don’t get discouraged. I used to get discouraged and went back to my rude mode. Again, I resumed trying. 🙂
• Some people think that if you smile at them, you probably know them. If they ask you so, don’t panic. Simply keep smiling and tell them you don’t. (Er, if you don’t know them, that is)

So what do you do from today?

Keep up that smile of yours forever. Let us spread smiles together. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Meanwhile, hope you are still appreciating whenever you find something nice. If you don’t know what I am talking about, click here.

If you want to be a part of this series, you can take this up, write a post on the same, spread the word and feel free to use the image above. Let us #SpreadSmiles together.