All It Takes Is One Genuine, Warm Smile
And Your Day Is Made
A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.
- Phyllis Diller
Sunday morning, I woke up with the urge to eat Poha.
For those unaware, Poha is a flattened rice dish that is steam cooked with onions, spices and herbs that is very popular in India.
I looked out the window and saw the morning was cool enough for a quick drive. So that is what I did. With my trusty two-wheeler, Ethan the TVS Wego, I cruised out to get myself some yummy Poha.
It was 7:30am, and the Poha stall was already thriving in business and busyness. With my order placed, I stood there patiently.
The man at the stall was working at laser speed and remembered all the orders his boss was shouting out to him.
Eventually, my turn came. As he handed me my parcel, I said, "Thank you."
I say the word of thanks out of courtesy and habit. And I have grown used to people not replying back to me. I don't mind not getting a reply because I understand the person may be busy, exhausted, not the friendly kind or mentally somewhere else. So it never occurred to me that the Poha guy would be any different. Turns out, he is different.
The moment the words "Thank You" left my lips, the man gave me the warmest smile and the sweetest "Welcome."
It did make me pause for a second, and then I gave him a smile and a wave of goodbye.
As I drove back home, my thoughts went to the Poha guy. He didn't realise that he had given the most beautiful start to my Sunday morning.
Then throughout the day, I remembered his sweet gesture, making me smile again.
It felt so strange that a genuine, warm smile from a stranger could change your mood for the better. Nowadays, even loved ones don't give you that kind of smile.
That made me wonder - what if we all could be nicer and kinder to each other? What if all we gave each other was a genuine, warm smile that came directly from the heart?
I am sure the Poha guy has his own problems and obligations. So do I, and so do we all. But, at the moment, when we are together, couldn't we just share a smile?
A smile of thanks. A smile of support. A smile of understanding. A smile of an inside joke. A smile of mutual realisation. A smile for the sake of a smile.
Couldn't we do that?
Food for thought.
