I found this man on 7th Avenue in Park Slope. He was leaning heavily on his cane, looking down, wearing a grimaced face. I felt bad for him, so I smiled and waved when I walked past. His face changed completely. He lit up, smiled wide, and gave me a cheery greeting. There was nothing forced about it. He seemed like a man who went through life looking for the smallest excuses to be happy.
I walked 50 feet down the sidewalk, turned around, and walked back to him. “I want to take your photo,” I told him, “because of how big you smiled when I walked by.”
He said: “Well I saw someone smiling at me who I didn’t even know. So I thought: ‘By God! I Better do something!’”
Whether we realize it or not, whether we are active or passive, we lead with our look and it reflects how we feel — and to those around us we are telling all and they can tell how we are feeling by just looking at us. So, next time you see a picture or a person that makes you smile – smile back at them. We might not get to the level of cuteness of this kitten but we certainly will have gone a long way to making each and every day of your life better than the one before!