March 11, 2010
from the comments
On the other hand, desires and dreams can be simultaneously robust and fragile, and a few words of heartfelt encouragement from a mysterious stranger can change a person’s life.
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On the other hand, desires and dreams can be simultaneously robust and fragile, and a few words of heartfelt encouragement from a mysterious stranger can change a person’s life.
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And don’t forget smiles, too– real, genuine smiles that make a person feel reconnected to the rest of humanity. I remember walking home from work one day in a terrible mood, for whatever reason, and as I passed this young blonde kid, he gave me the widest, warmest smile I’ve ever received from a stranger. It was simply a smile of good wishes in passing, and it made me feel better instantly. I think about that brief interaction a lot, hoping I’ll see another like it someday, and now I’ve gone back to my regular habit of smiling at strangers. We need it, this giving and receiving of lip manipulations.
Lauren, I’m a great believer in lip manipulations.
I hope this is not obnoxious — me setting myself up as Sheila of the Saintly Smile, Giver of Aid and Comfort to the Downtrodden, but I’m reminded of this encounter, about which I posted a comment a while back.
Really, it was I who was made to feel better by the response of another to my smile.
Dee-lightful, Sheila. Gosh, I love humans. And I love passing around stories like this almost as much.