Sometimes, all it takes is a single smile to change a person’s day from bad to good, sad to happy, or discouraging to hopeful.  Smiles have that kind of power. But they must be true smiles, and not insincere or overdone. A person knows if a smile is real by the way it makes one feel.

In my own life, I have found that because I smile very easily, sometimes people don’t accept my authenticity.  I don’t take this personally, because I know that everyone has a unique experience. Some of us have been treated dishonestly by the adults around them when growing up.  It can make a person wary of other people’s motives, even when they don’t want to feel that way.

If one wants to approach a person who has been dealt with in this way, that encounter will require a lot of sensitivity.  A person who has been fooled by fake smiles in the past will be wary of people who smile a lot, like me.  

It is really important not to take such rebuffs personally.  No one really knows another person’s story. Bad experiences in early childhood can affect one’s whole life.  But, in my opinion, I would rather have some of my smiles left unappreciated, than to stop doing something that is a part of me. 

Babies are fascinating when it comes to smiling.  Sometimes, they smile easily and engage with other people instantly and with great excitement!  I call these little people “live ones”. I really get a kick out of these kiddos! Other babies will look at you like you are a curiosity and just stare at you when you smile at them.  And then, there are others who look downright suspicious of you. It is so much fun to engage with these little sweethearts. And it helps to explain how adults become the way they are.

Regardless of how another person reacts to a smile, people should continue to do it, and do it with love and good humor.  In fact, the alternative is never going to produce a return smile. And that would be a crying shame.