Find Someone Without a Smile
From the time we come into this world, we need love.
We look for it.
We long for it.
We are shaped by it.
Love nourishes something deep inside of us.
And when love is missing, something inside begins to suffer.
Think about life without love for a moment.
No joy.
No smile.
No hug.
No kind word.
No encouragement.
No one showing you that you matter.
No one making you feel seen.
No one making you feel wanted.
No one making you feel like your life matters to them at all.
That sounds horrific, doesn’t it?
And yet, some people live closer to that kind of life than most of us realize.
Maybe they are not surrounded by open hatred.
Maybe no one is yelling at them.
Maybe no one is attacking them.
Maybe no one is being obviously cruel.
But still…
Love is missing.
Kindness is missing.
Warmth is missing.
Connection is missing.
And that kind of loneliness can be suffocating.
The outside world may never notice.
They may look fine.
They may smile when expected.
They may go to work.
They may go to church.
They may stand in line at the store, eat alone in a restaurant, sit quietly in a waiting room, or walk through the day like everything is okay.
But inside, they may be wondering what love even feels like anymore.
Think about that.
What if it were you?
What if you were the one moving through life, hoping someone would simply be kind?
Hoping someone would notice you?
Hoping someone would smile?
Hoping someone would say something that made you feel like you still mattered?
Wouldn’t even a small act of kindness feel like a little light in a dark place?
That is why this matters.
Because from this moment forward, I want you to consider something.
The person in front of you may be that person.
The person at work.
The person in line at the grocery store.
The person eating alone at the restaurant.
The neighbor you barely talk to.
The distant family member everyone assumes is fine.
The person sitting near you at church.
The person in your own home.
Someone near you may be living with very little love.
And you may never know it unless you slow down long enough to notice.
So here is a simple thought:
Find someone without a smile, and share one of yours.
Look people in the eye.
Pay attention.
Search, gently, for sadness.
Not in a strange or intrusive way.
Just notice.
Care enough to see people.
Then think about the Golden Rule.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Because one day, you may be the one who needs someone else to notice.
Now, maybe you are thinking:
“That sounds nice, but what do I say to a stranger?”
I get it.
That is not always easy.
Some people are naturally comfortable talking to others. Some are not.
But if you struggle with it, let me help you a little.
I call them icebreakers.
An icebreaker is simply something you say that opens the door to a small human moment.
You do not have to give a speech.
You do not have to become best friends.
You do not have to make it awkward.
You are just creating a small opening for kindness.
If it is someone at work, that is often easier because you already have common ground.
You can ask how their day is going.
You can ask about something you both deal with.
You can notice when they seem tired, stressed, or quiet.
You can say something as simple as:
“Hey, you doing okay today?”
Sometimes that one question matters.
It shows you care.
That human element is important.
But what about a total stranger?
Start simple.
Look for something sincere to compliment.
Maybe you like their shoes.
Their jacket.
Their hat.
Their watch.
Their jewelry.
Their smile.
Their kindness toward someone else.
A simple compliment can open a door.
“I like those shoes. Where did you get them?”
“That is a nice jacket.”
“You have a great smile.”
“That was kind of you to help that person.”
Small things like that can brighten someone’s day.
I was in Costco recently, and someone was looking at something I had bought and liked. I stopped and talked with them about it. I told them why I liked it, shared a smile, they thanked me, and I went on my way.
Nothing dramatic.
Just a small human moment.
I have been in the grocery store and seen someone picking through something I had not tried before, so I asked about it.
“How do you like that?”
“How do you cook it?”
“How can you tell when it is ripe?”
I do this kind of thing often.
Why?
Because it opens a door.
Sometimes the conversation is only a few seconds.
Sometimes it becomes a real conversation.
Either way, a little warmth was shared.
And that matters. It really does.
The checkout line is another great place.
You are both standing there anyway.
Look for something to compliment.
Or ask a simple question.
Or make a light comment about something around you.
If there are magazines nearby with ridiculous headlines, sometimes that is an easy place to make a harmless joke.
And if you are desperate and cannot think of anything…
There is always the weather.
Yes, I know.
That is the old standby.
But sometimes the old standby works.
Now, what if they are on their phone?
That can be harder.
These days, it seems like everyone is glued to a screen.
But if there is a natural way to get them to look up, you can try.
You might say:
“Reading anything interesting?”
If they are not interested in talking, they will let you know quickly.
They may ignore the question.
They may say “not really” and go right back to the phone.
That is okay.
You tried.
But sometimes they are reading something they actually enjoy talking about.
And suddenly, a conversation begins.
The point is not to force anything.
The point is to look for small chances to spread kindness.
There are also those moments when you are walking through a store and someone makes eye contact.
Remember the post about dogs?
Dogs wag their tails.
They show excitement.
They bring warmth into the room.
Well, we may not be able to wag our tails, but we can do something just as powerful.
We can smile.
We can say hello.
And if there is something sincere to compliment, we can add that too.
Sometimes they will smile back and keep walking.
Sometimes they will stop.
Sometimes a small moment turns into a conversation.
Recently, while visiting someone in the hospital, I saw an employee with one of the most infectious smiles I think I have ever seen.
I could not pass that up.
I told her how much I loved her smile.
Do you think that brightened her day?
You bet it did.
Mission accomplished.
I spread some luv.
That is what this is about.
Not complicated.
Not forced.
Not fake.
Just choosing to bring a little warmth into someone else’s day.
Because hate spreads like weeds.
And there are a lot of weeds in this world.
But love can spread too.
A smile can spread.
A compliment can spread.
A kind question can spread.
A small conversation can spread.
A moment of encouragement can spread.
And you never know who needed that moment more than you realized.
So if you seriously want to see the world change, start where you are.
Start with the person in front of you.
Start at home.
Start at work.
Start in the grocery store.
Start at church.
Start with the person who looks lonely.
Start with the person who seems tired.
Start with the person who does not have a smile.
And share one of yours.
Take some of these ideas if they help.
Or use your own.
But do something.
Find someone, somewhere, and spread the luv.
Then come back here and share your adventure in the comments.
Because those stories can encourage others to do the same.
There are a lot of people damaged by hate in this world.
Decide you will not add to it.
Decide you will not be part of the coldness.
Decide you will be the kind of person you want to see more of in this world.
Decide to be a little more like your dog.
Wag your tail.
Or, in our case…
Share a smile.
And spread the luv.
A Final Thought
Someone near you may be starving for kindness.
Someone near you may need one smile.
One kind word.
One simple reminder that they still matter.
So look up.
Pay attention.
Notice people.
Speak kindly.
Smile often.
Ask a question.
Offer a compliment.
Create a small moment of warmth in a cold world.
Because hate spreads.
But love can spread too.
Stand up in the fight against hate. Choose to spread the luv!
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