"The Lost Art of a Smile" Guest Post from Madelaine Kenner

Madelaine Kenner who is part of the awesome team here at Eruditio shares with us her thoughts on making a real difference and how simple it can be. Enjoy!
"My grandmother had this saying about storms that really stuck with me. She used to always tell me, “If there is enough blue in the sky to patch a Dutchman’s britches, then it will clear up.” I used to think it was a silly saying until I thought of it in another light; everyday connections with people. Let me ask you this; when a storm is coming…do you ever see just one little dark cloud? I highly doubt it. It can start out as one cloud and quickly evolve into a whole sky of dark in the blink of an eye. However, after a whole day of rain, isn’t it nice to see the sun peak out from behind those clouds…a silver lining you could say?
The Human Race is a social species. We value connection with others. Here’s an example; say you are on the way to work. You pass by people every day at work, right? So why not smile? It’s the simplest form of communication and yet has come to almost be a lost art. But here’s the thing…IT TAKES VERY LITTLE EFFORT! Just like that little blue patch in the sky, a simple smile and glance can turn someone’s whole day around. They may not talk about it to anyone and you may not say a word to each other, but it can be that one thing that turns their whole day around. Now let’s put the shoe on the other foot; can you recall ever having a bad day? What was a simple remedy to having a bad day? Maybe it was your friend telling you a funny joke, or a coworker giving you the “cheer up, buttercup” talk you needed. Or, it could just be that one little smile that you catch from a stranger as you exchange passing glances that give you that little burst of positivity you need to get through your day.
So my question to you is this…would you rather be that dark cloud on the horizon? Or, would you rather be that little blue patch of sky in everyone’s sky? No words, just smiles; the positivity will radiate from you and spread to everyone else. Who knows…maybe you will even make an acquaintance on your mundane commute that could make your routine a little more entertaining and worthwhile. So dust off that smile and keep it in your back pocket; you never know if someone might need their britches patched up. "