Friday 8 August 2008

UnderRated: The Power of the Smile

'You've made my day,' the driver called through the window as the dustcart continued its meandering journey up the road past my parked car.

'Excuse me?'

'You're so smiley and lovely. It's really made my day!'

I laughed and waved him on his way and felt this huge wave of pleasure wash over me. It had been so simple to bring some joy to a strange man's work. We had made eye contact as I'd waited to cross the road earlier and exchanged smiles as he stopped the big lorry to let me over in front of him.

The natural course of his day's schedule meant that the vehicle then followed me up the road as I returned to my car. The guys behind the truck throwing in the piles of pink and black sacks to either side of the road.

Every so often he would pass me and wave and I returned his gesture, grinning.
And then as I reached my car, put down my shopping and searched for the keys, he stopped level with me and voiced his appreciation at my friendliness.

It had cost me nothing and his acknowledgement of a gift so freely given had made a very ordinary day into a special one for both parties.




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14 comments:

Osbasso said...

Funny how the unplanned, simplest gestures usually mean the most. I imagine YOUR smile makes it even more special!

Cate said...

So very true! Thank you for the reminder to smile more.

Cate xxx

Gorilla Bananas said...

That's lovely. I bet he noticed your bum as well.

JW said...

I'm a great believer in the power of a smile. I'm not one of those people who stares sullenly at people in the street.

My smile tends to get one of two responses: either people smile back with every appearance of having been perked up to have someone share that most simple of things with them; or they look at me as if I'm thoroughly insane!

Of course, I'm sure your smiles do rather more for the recipient than mine do: as Mr Bananas says, a smile is great but a smile attached to an attractive young woman is even better ;^)

Lady in red said...

I always try to give my customers a smile.....of course they can't see mine through the telephone but I always start every conversation with a cheeky remark. Get them laughing from the start it makes taking their orders or even their complaints so much easier for both of us.

One guy even told me it is such a pleasure to talk to someone so cheerful....many suppliers make you feel as though they resent you interupting their day.

someone once told me (many years ago) if you answer the phone with a smile on your face it will come across in your voice.....I always try to do that.

like you say a smile costs nothing but can bring many rewards

Trixie said...

It costs nothing to smile and can make so many people happy (unless of course, the person has REALLY bad teeth and bad breath)

Helga Hansen said...

What a lovely reminder to all of us that we should be smiling!! As it has been said before, it costs us nothing!

I love to see people smiling, but I'd go with Ro on the fact that sometimes people look at you as if you've lost your marbles! Guess they've forgotten that smiles can make someone's day!

BenefitScroungingScum said...

I hear that kind of comment alot too, I find it strange that so many people don't smile these days, I know it brightens up my day, maybe we should have a national blogging smile at a stranger day?! BG x

Anonymous said...

Ms. Cake,
I would Love for you to smile at me anytime!!
You have made me Smile, many...
Thank you!

Anonymous said...

You can see in the way that you write that you are a smiling, positive person. I'm not surprised that it is appreciated by those around you.

Daren said...

Smiles are one of the sexiest things in the world.

Dxxd

Sulpicia said...

I live in a small city, so there is much greeting and smiling. It really does make a difference to the day to have a smile on. Not so much heaviness and you get an "I can do anything" feeling.

Thanks for pointing out that squirt video, by the way. Very informative.

Walker said...

Its the simple things in life that give people pleasure not eh complicated drawn out plans that ome people goto to achieve less

George Tarasuk said...

Thanks for sharing this!

It reminds me of a group of college aged kids I saw walking in downtown Chicago a few days ago. One held a sign saying, "Free Hugs". Interesting to watch all these otherwise "serious" people intent on getting to their train on time - stopping for a hug. Maybe the best things in life are free!