A Smile Given Returns a Smile Received

In today's world of technology we do not have ample opportunity to get personal. Life is fast-paced and everyone seems to be in a rush. We dial the phone and we talk to machines. We spend long hours on the computer playing games, emailing, or working with our web pages. Even in the office environment, we email the person in the cubicle 3 feet away instead of walking over to hand them a task list.

A drawback of this technological age is the loss of personal touch with other human beings. It is imperative that we take advantage of the fleeting opportunities to be personal. Human beings are becoming strangers to one another. The fast pace of today's society has left many people without the slightest feel of a human touch or a word of comfort from another individual for days at a time.

Could this be the cause of the rise in clinical depression? What of the number of youths in today's society attempting suicide, or the ones so desirous to be heard that they have become murderers of their classmates and/or family members before taking their own life. Is it viable to conclude a lack of a one-on-one personal touch is a contributing factor?

Think back to a time when someone smiled at you. Prior to that smile you were feeling very anxious, and probably irritated with the responsibilities of the day. Your thoughts, no doubt, were on rushing through the tasks with expediency and the least amount of stress possible.

Without provocation an individual standing in the line across from you flashes a broad friendly smile. Instantly you receive the warmth that the smile transmitted and your tension is eased. Being a social creature the natural inclination is to reciprocate the smile.

A simple smile like an embrace from another person can fill you with feelings of acceptance. The shared personal contact, the warmth emitted gives evidence that you are an integral part of the human race. The individual offering up the smile now is changed from a stranger to a kindred spirit. A conversation may result and the mundane is transformed into an enjoyable experience.

I do not mean to imply that giving and receiving a smile is the solution to the world's problems. However, sharing a smile is a good place to start. Being social creatures it is imperative that we embrace each in a personal manner.

So go ahead and smile. I dare you. But be careful. You might find the world a friendlier place. Your smile might just make someone's day a whole lot brighter. I'm betting you will get a nice warm smile in return.