By : Johnson Lam

Smile can make a person's life. Smile can create wonders...we heard that all the time, even songs, played on radio when I was young : I can't remember the lyrics quite well, but I remembered it goes something like this

"A smile is just a funny thing,
it wrinkles up your day..
when it's gone you'll never find,
the secret hiding place...

But far more wonderful it is,
to see what smiles can do:
you smile at one, he smiles at you;
and so one smile makes two!

I smile at you, you smile at me,
and so one smile makes two...

Smile.. smile.. it isn't hard to do..."

Something happened to me yesterday, I was driving home and I saw my friend on a bike along the road, I waved and smiled at him.. but he missed me.. instead, an old Malay uncle by the road side thought I was smiling at him.. so he waved and smiled back... I was caught in a surprised of course.. but I smiled back and waved back at him.. Instead, another Indian uncle beside him thought I was smiling and waving at him!! So he waved back and smiled happily at me... Well, I felt really happy and contented after I drove passed.. as I looked at the rear view mirror.. the 2 uncles were happily shaking hands and talking to each other.. probably they just made friends from this smiling encounter.

Today, the same thing happened.. I was in the canteen buying breakfast.. Was kinda moody due to late nites and early mornings... Then, I saw my friend from far.. I started to smile weakly and waved "good morning".. Other people along the counter, some we met during work, some in neighboring departments saw me.. and waved back at me.. smiled, and greeted "GOOD MORNING"... in that instance.. everyone was smiling instead of moody and gloomy... even I am more awake now..

Well, these days... we seldom see people in the streets (especially in the City) smile at each other... In the 'kampungs' where I was from, you can smile at ANYONE and you will be exchanged with another warm smile... some yellow teeth, some no teeth at all... some red and stained from the Sirih Upeh they eat... But here in the cities.. you will be stared at.. people will think you are crazy or you are trying to strike a conversation like those Credit Card sales person or direct sales people... (sigh...)

My experience in China was quite an eye opener... I smiled at the Train Ticket Conductor... and She was SHOCKED!!! She looked harassed and stared at me... So I moved on.. boarded the train and looked back.. she was still standing there.. looking SHOCKED, staring at me... So, I did a little test. As I was walking along the night market in the streets of Dalian. I tried to smile at every of the stall owners as I walked passed.... Most of them were surprised, thought I am crazy.. the other half thought I want to buy something and keep asking me to get something from them and keep bugging me for the best bargain... SIGH....

So.... anyway.. it always starts from our own selves when it is about Smiling, helping or setting the right example... Let's start smiling today !! Starting with me.. :) Just look at my profile picture... You will never know, it might make someone's Day...

I woke Nadz up this morning with smile. Nadz smiled back to me... On the way up to my office, I say thanks with smile to the guy that wait and hold the lift for me. He smiled back.... Entering my office..I greeted my friends at office with a smile, they smiled back to me and I stuck at my office work station with them .. have a chit chat for about 15 minutes before i when to my room. I felt really nice.. and i felt happy today.. maybe its just because of SMILE

good artical bro .. anyway , am always smiling.. cant do anything about it.. my face is like that..

JL your write up made me smile...thanks man!!!

I smile at least once everyday i.e. every morning the minute I wake up and see my son and wife sleeping next to me.

I m generally a happy-go-lucky person....
I smile 2 most people....
I smile d biggest on pay-day...
D only day i dun smile is when i m oncall (no energy 2 smile...save for other things)

JL, good write-up.
Smile can help your health too!

i read somewhere that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile... so smile on, peeps!!!

A very difficult question...can u grump n smile at d same time?

Cannot la... hump and smile at same time can la... kekeke...

BTW... do you smile "to" someone or smile "at" someone? Do you speak "to" someone or speak "with" someone? Do you talk "to" someone or talk "with" someone?

Nice article Bro

in my case, i'll be smilling most of the time or not my staff will be sulking! hehe............. no choice la... if i pull sour face, my staff also sour face and then the work also d*mn sour! then my life pun sour! hehe... but someone i'm the smilling type...



Bro Rev, correct me if i'm wrong....

you are speaking TO somebody, you MAY be the only person speaking (one way) but when you are speaking WITH someone, it's assumed that both of you are engaged in conversation...

i would say smile at someone, speak to someone and talk to someone

jaguarah, oncall also have to smile, even if no energy, have to fake it... or else patient will complain dr ni sombong...