It’s such a simple thing, costs nothing, but can be your greatest gift to another soul.
It’s your smile.
I like to play a little game when I am out in public. Similar to the game “Chicken” where two cars drive head on at each other until one driver chickens out and swerves to avoid the collision. As I am walking along and another person is walking towards me I begin to look straight at them. I am waiting for them to make eye contact and when they do I flash them a smile.
Very few avoid my gawk. I think they can sense my energy pulling at them. You know the feeling when you feel eyes on you, staring. You just have to look.
Most who become aware of me smiling at them smile back. Usually it is a tight, thin lipped smirk. It’s the polite acknowledgement of my silent greeting. That’s when I turn up the wattage and go for the full on toothy grin. Can I get them to do the same?
I am delighted by the surprise in their eyes. I have just entered their personal bubble and burst their line of thoughts with a little spark of human kindness. Aha! Take that. I dare you to not react with a bigger smile back.
A few look away not knowing how to react. A few continue with the smirky smile but most smile wider or even offer a “hello”.
This little game of mine was born from my desire to leave people just a little bit better for having interacted with me. I use this as my guide at my part-time job in the little vintage shop. A happy thought, a laugh, or just a smile, these are the tools of my trade.
Do you know what is the best part of this game of mine? Smiles are like two way streets and when I get a mega watt smile in return, I too am left just a little bit better in return, and that really makes me smile.
Did I make you smile with this happy little post? Send me a message so that I can smile too 🙂
You make my heart smile!! Have a great day my friend!!
Sent from my iPad
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Thanks Siobhan! But it seems to me you have plenty to smile about this holiday season, Granny 🙂
LOL I also do the same, when I’m in the store I walk with a smile on my face and most people will smile back, and like you said with a “tight, thin lipped smirk” but they smile, and than there are those who give a huge smile and hello back, and I can feel inside of me that I just brightened their day a bit. Thanks lovely post and I have a smile on.
I love the look of surprise on their faces when they realise someone is smiling at them. best of the holiday season to you my inner circle friend 🙂
Smiling is the only way I make it through the grocery store sometimes. It’s amazing what a difference a smile and a positive attitude can have on people around you. Thanks for sharing your game!
Diane I do this too!!!! Smiling is the best!!!!
Thanks Ritu. My pearly whites are showing 🙂
😁😁😁😁😁
I am not a cat person but my maiden name was Cheshire so the pic had me at a glance. You know what I believe you can’t make someone happy until you are happy yourself. So we must put on a smile and see how soon you smile because your happy grew and became contagious. It is true , I have done this for ten years and I have even been told they can feel me smiling down the phone. #sundayblogshare I hope my smile spreads on twitter too reblogged.
As someone who has worked my who career in sales, I was taught to smile while speaking to clients in the phone because it does transmit through the lines. Keep smiling 🙂 and Thanks for sharing.
It was my pleasure.
Love this! Made me smile just reading it, lol.
Thanks Emily. My plan for world domination through smiling is working! (Insert maniacal laughing)
I love your little game. I am an introvert so this would be a stretch for me to do this in real life. But I am going to pledge to try it and see how it goes.
It always seems to work for me. I love when I see the surprise on the persons face when they didn’t expect my smile.
I do the same thing, sometimes you can tell they don’t want to smile back but most times they do even if like you say, it’s a “smirk”….we got them…thanks for making me smile…
As I have said in previous comments. Smiling is my master plan for world domination. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
This is such a lovely way of approaching the day. Good for you.
Thank you Barbara. It makes me smile as much as I make others smile. 😃