I believe in smiling at strangers.

In something so simple that most people would not even think

twice about it. I grew up with parents who taught me that above all else, I was to show kindness

to everyone. People who loved me, people who hurt me, people who didn’t even know me. I

grew up in a church where the mission statement was to love God and love others. I remember

being told that showing someone the basic respect of smiling, holding a door open, or any other

small act of kindness could brighten someone's entire day and thinking that it sounded ridiculous.

But as I got older I came to understand two things.

The first is that the world can be a lonely place. It is so easy to get trapped inside our own

thoughts, to feel like we are completely alone. Surrounded by people but completely alone. Most

of the time, people avoid eye contact, and if they happen to accidentally catch someone’s eye,

they immediately look away. So someone who takes the time to look at you, make eye contact,

and flash a quick smile can make a real difference. It makes you feel, just for a second, that you

do not just exist inside your head. It shows you that someone on the outside acknowledges and

respects you. It is just enough to focus your attention on the world around you, to get out of your

mind so much, and to recognize that you are not alone.

The second thing I realized as I got older was that it also feels nice to give someone a smile and

have it returned. It shows a sort of mutual respect that two strangers share briefly. Seeing

someone smile back at you directly shows you how you impacted someone in the smallest of

ways- just by making them smile. It is one little thing that shows you that you have the power to

make a difference.

While there are far more profound ways to make a difference and far more profound things to

believe in, I stand by mine, the simplest of beliefs. I believe in smiling at strangers.