I was sitting at the checkout at a popular supermarket I don’t want to mention… Mega Image
In front of me, a gentleman with a warlike attitude, his eyes sharp and the corners of his mouth drawn as if from a factory to his displeasure, was questioning the cashier in an authoritative tone about some items on the receipt, as if he were at a hearing. The cashier, a woman with smiling eyes, but temporarily shadowed by the warrior’s demeanor, calmly explained, though the other customers were already energetically transferring irritation through their backs.
It may seem like a trivial episode, but it has stuck with me somewhere. Not because it was unique, but because it was unfortunately all too common. I was immediately reminded of what I see more and more often on the street: people with tired faces, lost eyes, as if they had been through too much of life without really feeling it. Chronic sadness, simmering frustration, anxiety – packed daily into quick gestures, impulsive reactions and stern faces.
I had noticed them a long time ago, but this scene rekindled a thought in my mind: smiling. Or rather, the lack of it.
When was the last time you smiled for no reason?
When have you given someone a smile without expecting anything in return?
When have you allowed it to light up your face just because you exist, because you breathe, because it’s sunny or even because it’s raining?
Then I remembered the booklet I wrote a few months ago: “A Day Without Complaining“. A simple and, paradoxically, not at all easy exercise. Not complaining for a whole day. Not saying anything negative about the traffic, the weather, the people, what’s wrong. It’s like a detox for mind and language.
But what’s that got to do with smiling?
Well, I’ve discovered that smiling is the tool that breaks the vicious cycle of crying. When you smile, even forced at first, the brain gets a signal that maybe, just maybe, it’s a good feeling. It activates neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. A small opening occurs. An inner space where there’s no room for judgment, irritation or apathy. Smiling changes your countenance and, therefore, your outlook.
We don’t always have to pretend to be happy. But if we stop for a moment to observe those around us, we will realize that many treat happiness as a superficial emotion that seems to have no place in their lives.
In reality, smiling is an act of subtle resistance in a world far too serious and serious. It is a sign that, despite everything, we are alive, we are connected, we are present.
(Speaking of attendance – it’s a complex topic I’d like to explore in another article.)
So my invitation to you today is simple: smile.
Not because you have a reason. Because you can.
Because you choose. Because every smile is a dialog – both with the outside world, but, just as importantly, also an inner dialog, good for your body, the best and most faithful friend you could ever have.
Smile at a cashier. Smile at a child who looks at you with wide eyes. Smile in the mirror, even if today you feel there’s nothing to smile at. Do it anyway. It’s a small gesture, but it can trigger invisible chains of transformation.
Because beyond everything we do, build, plan or repair… maybe all that’s really asked of us is to remember to be. And to smile.
Today. Here. Now!
A day with many smiles!
Claudiu
