It all started with a smile..

Over the weekend Tan and I took the girls on a shopping trip.  We didn’t go out for any particular reason just to get out of the house and enjoy the day.

While we were out, I decided to go to the local craft store (A.C. Moore) just  to browse around, all the while hoping to find some great deals and inspiration for Valentine’s Day.  So I was minding my own business when this kind elderly lady walked up to me and said with such sincerity “Thank You”.  I looked at her for a few seconds not understanding why she was thanking me.  Then she proceeded to explain herself.

You see, the reason why she thanked me was because my middle girl was polite to her.  Nena said hello to her and smiled, something she always does to friends and strangers alike.  Then the nice lady explained to me that she has been out and about all day with not one person smiling, greeting her or showing a kind gesture.  I felt so bad for her.  Tan and I have always been the type of people to go out of our way to be polite and courteous to others.  Not that we are perfect, because I’m sure we’ve snubbed a few people in our life time (not on purpose, mind you) but when we get caught up in our lives maybe we didn’t say hello or didn’t put our best food forward.  Which is very rare I assure you 😉  Anywho, the lady had said she was having a rough day and had spoken to her daughter about having a bad day (apparently a bad week) but my daughter’s smile made her happy.  She said she felt renewed and that my girl’s smile made her day brighter.  We also spoke about how sometimes when we smile, the person receiving the smile may have been through so much and that one single smile may have given them hope.  I know to some of you a smile is not much but I think beyond the smile.  A smile may lead to a renewed feeling or a warm greeting to the next person or a kind gesture to the next and so on..

I am a firm believer of doing good because good will return to you in abundance.  When we left the store that day, I had to say that I thought of this kind elderly lady and how she was beaming and it all started with a smile~