I read in the Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 1, ch 10, text 16) “… the spirit spark is beautiful, and because of the soul’s beauty one is attracted by the beauty of the outward body.”
That is the difference a smile can make.
A recent post on social media caught my eye. It was a collage of photographs of several people.
There were two photographs of each person. The first photograph was of the person as the world would see them. The second photograph was of the same person after the photographer had told them that they were beautiful.
The difference – for both men and women, young and old – was astounding. On the second photograph they all looked radiant and joyful – as if a magic wand had been waved over the first photograph. That is the difference that a smile can make.
I enjoy smiling at the person in another car when I stop at a traffic light. It is lovely to see the response. Most people reward me with a big smile of their own. A small group of people will just nod regally and not give me a big smile, but I can see the corners of their mouths change. When I get this reaction, I wonder what it is that prevents them from simply sharing joy with a stranger.
There is another beautiful meme reminding us that a single candle is enough to counter the darkness. It is the same with a single smile that comes from the heart.
Try this today: go out into the world and smile at strangers. See how that light spreads from you to each one of them, and from them to others. It is incredibly rewarding, and it makes you feel good – guaranteed.
Namaste
