SO very special Olympian smiles . . .

What does it cost you to smile at a stranger? We smile automatically when seeing someone we know, even if just an acquaintance, or another customer like the hurried white-haired lady, or George the retired mailman I see almost every morning at Broad Street Diner? You know what that costs, nothing. A slight upswing of the corners of your mouth and an inner smile as well. It costs nothing, and look at all the faces and hearts your smile opens!

That's what I knew for sure in the bright sunshine the morning of June 14th on the gorgeous Rider University campus welcoming the busloads of Special Olympics athletes from Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, Wisconsin and other states! Fun? Fun? You want fun and excitement? Undescribable fun and joy was in New Jersey just for us and you, all weeklong. Looking into smiles and toothy grins of open hearts and pure souls, their families and friends, and like us, admirers, was/is a unique memory that I'm positive I will repeat next June.

Weeks previously I was just like 99% of other people passing on the sidewalks or in retail stores and coffee shops. Stoic. Chisel face and mouth, not a frown, but not inviting. And I came to realize I hated it. Hated it! Why not be friendly and open? I know 99.5% of Americans are great friendly giving people. Whether my own local Hamiltonians or the teeming masses on Broadway when I visit my son Jesse's family in Manhattan monthly. All just waiting for a little joy in their lives! 
No different than I. And a smile -- costs nothing. How nice to get a glance or look and a nod, smile or wave just for being me. How much more so for all mankind.

Smiling and bringing joy is a guaranteed path to personal happiness, and i tested this theory a moth earlier at the Friends of the library Book Sale. I'm justr one volunteer there, and i help in the warehouse of stacked books, maintaining order on the Literature shelves, and sending out Book Sale notices to the hardcopy and online papers a few weeks before. 

I don't consider myself a bad guy, average I would say, and friendly enuff. So there I sat at the Cash Sales table with co-worker and friend Paris Monday morning May 19th, reading short stories by one of my favorite author's Edgar Allan Poe. With my smile buried under my concentration. 

But I was so surprised and happy after reading the last exciting and positive lines of The Pit and the Pendulum, that a thought flashed, "What will happen if I go out of my way to smaile and chat with our check-out customers?' 

So the next ones received my sincere smile and a few kind words, "Did you find what you were looking for?' And her face and mouth and smile opened like the sun at noonday! And another smile and "Thanks" after I said, 'Thanks for comin' by today!" And then I switched up the basic greeting and thanks for the next minutes until I had counted 12 successful returned smiles and kind words back, chatty words, as if we were long lost friends! I even paused and recorded my 12 observations in my green-covered book, now left at Princeton House where I "visited" not 5 days later.

My short experiment in smiling ramifications had been a resounding success!

Needless to say, this is no longer an "experiment." No, it's my confirmed path to meeting lovely wonderful diverse peiople of all ages, backgrounds, experiences and knowledges.
And now I understood and had assimilated what Janet had always told be: "Be nice Rod, be nice."

Cementing what she's said innumerable times over the years to me and to her students as a life-guide: "You'll attract more bees with honey than with vinegar."

Best, Rod
Copyright 2014 

Surviving Bipolar Disorder in the modern age . . . a journey of Hope for the afflicted.
My poetic memoir Episodes available at www.amazon.com/episodes-rodney-richards/dp/0615914705/   

 

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