Give a li'l Smile, Sunshine!

It took me a minute to find this*, but my diligence was wonderfully rewarded. I heard the piece on Jay Allison's This I Believe -- oh no! this website looks to be very inspiring, but oh so distracting from work. And what a cool project, I urge you to read up on the story of Edward R. Murrow starting this in the 1950s - a time of fear and fallout shelters - gathering people from all walks of life around the radio, to hear stories that inspired and gave them hope in a time of dark uncertainty. This project is a wonderful welcome back, especially today, with - everything; it reminds us that we're all in this together, and we're all just trying the best we can, not having a clue of what to do. I think we forget that all too often. Life's hard, but the people you share it with, and the things you do to fill it, make it wonderful, and while it's easy to get caught up in the craziness you feel consuming your life, it's really refreshing to stand back, take a breath, and see how everyone else is doing it - and think, hey, we are all pretty much the same. Flowers in the barrels, man. We all feel the same, in terms of making it through another day. One more thing, Dan Gediman and Allison said something I really like when they were talking about they don't plan to change peoples' beliefs, but they just hope to encourage people to begin the much more difficult task of developing respect for beliefs different from their own. And I think that's wonderful.

Okay, now to what I wanted to talk about in the first place. *Howard White speaks so eloquently of his experiences in communicating/acknowledging everyone he crosses paths with, and his story is very touching - and yes, inspiring, it's true. And he looks like such a nice guy, too! Look at that smile! That's a good smile. Speaking of smiles, people really need to smile more. Now, I'm not saying people should go around smiling all the time, but y'know, if you want to, go ahead. I give you permission; we live in a free smile country. But, then again, maybe you really shouldn't smile all the time. My elementary school nurse, AHH! What was her name? Mrs. Mann - no, that's not possible, because that would be too hilarious. Oh! And I can see her face, cause she was always smiling. Always. When she told you you had a temperature and that you could go home, when she was checking lice, when she examined you for a curved spine, shirtless - kids, not her. Smile, smile, smile - it was almost painful to experience. Like she honestly couldn't help but smile all the time. Though, I do suppose it's better than frowning all the time, right? Right. People who don't return smiles is what really gets me. Like, I get it if I smile at you because you're really, super-duperly sad, and I don't want you to be, and all you can muster up is a lip-chin quiver and more tears - I get that. Or, if you're the Governor of New York - ZING! Fred Armisen, AWESOME! That was really, really great, dead-on. And, apparently Fred's imitation was not warmly received by Mr. Governor... that what Anderson Cooper was going to tell me Monday night, but then he kept saying, "After this break" or, "After we talk with these people who have no idea what they're talking about because they aren't listening to my questions." And then after 15 minutes of promises and lies I got up to do some dishes during commercials. Oh, it's time for Nancy Grace, or whatever comes on after Anderson, awesome. That's really neat. So, I'm guessing you just told us that David Paterson was offended, who isn't that's imitated by an SNL castmate. Go cry about it. If Kristin Wigg played me, occasionally her eyes would cross, she would laugh bark, push people too hard, be drunk off whiskey, possibly stoned, and most likely talking about someone who is standing right behind her. What?! No. Anyway, smiles. There's this woman in my office who is constantly scowling. No joke. It's terrifying. She stalks around the office, shooting darts at anyone who makes eye contact with her, and God forbid you try to smile, because if you do, she'll cut it down mid lip-curl. Even though she never returns it, I can't help but smile at her every day, in hopes that one day her heart with melt and let the office in. I've talked to other people in the office about it, and they agree that she is frightening because of her demeanor. My one friend says she must hate the floor, stomping around like that. And another swears she saw her in the office supply room eating a baby. Well... y'know.

And smiling and hello-ing strangers is so hard to do in the city sometimes, I'd say. It is easier with old people though. Old people love smiling at strangers when they walk down the street. I don't know if it's that we're afraid of each other, or too busy, or too focused on not slipping on the ice... and I understand the 1,000 commute stare, but all the other times, ignoring each other - is it so hard to smile? What about just a head nod? Head nods are so easy, and fun! So, readers, the next time you cross paths with someone and make eye contact, how about a li'l smile? It might be the thing that person needs for a better day; be a pal, stranger.