... to Smile at Strangers

Smiles in Singapore's Chinatown

Look at this happy face! You can't help but smile back, can you? 
  This morning I found a quotation that really appealed to me: 


You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people. Why not make an earnest effort to confer that pleasure on others? (Lydia Maria Child)
  
So when I was out walking today, I decided I would smile at strangers. Perhaps they would grin back. Perhaps they would look at me as if I were strange. Perhaps they'd ignore me.
  I smiled at the old man walking his dog through the park. He doffed his cap and said hello. 
  I smiled at the teenage girls sitting on the skateboard ramp. They ignored me. (Obviously, when you're waiting for boys to arrive, you save your smiles for them!)
  I grinned at the little kids zooming down the slide in the children's playground. They beamed. 
  And I smiled at the Chinese lady who was out in her backyard feeding her ducks. She speaks no English. She didn't need to. The huge smile and wave she gave me transcended language.