It was a cold, cloudy day. As I walked back to my dorm after dinner, I began to tremble. I could hardly breathe. My chest was tight. I was having an anxiety attack. Several things happened to me that day, from getting a bad grade on a paper to getting in a fight with a close friend. I just could not take it anymore. As I briskly walked back to my room with my head staring straight down at my feet, I began to cry. Frankly, I was ready to die.
That changed when I looked up for the first time since leaving the cafeteria. As I passed a girl a bit shorter than me, she looked at me and smiled. I had no idea who she was — I still don't. That smile spoke to me: "It's going to be okay. People care about you. You are strong. Life is full of goodness. You just have to find it." I gave my best attempt at a smile back. That smile saved my life. That smile gave me hope. That smile let me know that people care.
Ever since then, I have made it my goal to smile at everyone I pass. I don't care if I know them well or if they are a complete stranger. On that cold, cloudy day, I learned the power of a simple smile. Smiles speak to people in ways even words can't. They tell stories of goodness and perseverance and empathy and strength. They give you power and happiness and energy and hope. Never underestimate the power of a smile. Never underestimate the stories they tell.
I will never know the impact my smiles have on certain people. I will never know who needed it most. But that doesn't matter. If I smile at hundreds of people and only one of them feels better afterwards, it is all worth it. You can brighten someone's day by the simple act of raising the edges of your lips. That girl on the cold and cloudy day changed who I am. She didn't have to smile, yet she did. And that made me a better person.
So I challenge you: smile. Smile when you see your family. Smile when you see your friends. Smile when you walk by complete strangers. Smile at the cashier when you order food. Smile at the person who sits next to you on a plane. Smile at the driver that just cut you off. Smile at everyone. It will make you happier. It will make them happier. There is no downside. And you never know whose life you could change.
