Question: What should you do when a complete stranger gives
you a big grin?
Answer: Grin
back. It may be a psychology student
studying you.
What causes some people to smile more than others? Researches aren’t entirely sure. But a group of psychology students in England
are on the case. The students recently
conducted a nationwide smile study targeting fourteen cities in the United
Kingdom.*
Here’s how they did it.
The students grinned from ear-to-ear at 100 randomly chosen strangers on
the street in each city. They then
watched to see how many grinned back.
Here are the results for five of the fourteen cities they studied:
Bristol 70% of the people smiled back
Glasgow 68%
Exeter 54%
London 18%
Edinburgh 4%
The students made an interesting observation. The smaller the city, the more smiles they
received. As a small town boy raised in
the American Midwest, I can identify with these results. In my experience, small towns are often
friendly places. But it’s not just the size of towns that seems to affect
people. Age may play into it as well. A while back I recall reading of a study
that claimed a child smiles, on average, about 400 times a day, while an adult
averages about 15 smiles a day.
Reading the results of these two studies got me thinking and
asking some questions of myself. How
often do I smile at complete strangers? Or my family and friends? How often do
I smile at work? How often do I smile
period?
British poet Joseph Addison once said, “What sunshine is to
flowers, smiles are to humanity.”
Beautiful statement. Since I live
in Florida—the sunshine state—I know the wonderful effects of sunshine on both
flowers and people. Sunshine brightens
the day. Brings warmth. Gives hope after storms. Smiles do much of the same. A welcoming smile can brighten the day,
bringing warmth and hope when it is needed most. Smiles speak in a universal tongue that all
can understand. The world is filled with
many different languages, yet we all smile in the same language.
The wonderful thing about sharing a smile is its positive
effect on both giver and receiver. Time
after time I’ve heard stories of folks who try to cheer others with a smile
only to discover their spirits have been lifted as well. Smiles are power mood elevators. They are also highly attractive. Without doubt, a smile is the cheapest way to
change your looks. It’s an instant face-lift
better than any cosmetic surgeon could provide.
On top of those benefits, a friend once told me that smiling
is one of the three best things you can do with your lips. The others are kissing and eating ice cream
(I’ll let you decide what order those three belong in).
Perhaps it comes as no surprise that the ancient scriptures
have a few things to say about smiles.
King David saw God’s smile as a blessing:
“Let
the smile of your face shine on us, Lord.” (Psalm 4:6 NLT)
King Solomon offered wisdom on the effects of a smile:
“A
friendly smile makes you happy, and good news makes you feel strong.” (Proverbs 15:30 CEV)
Even the Apostle Paul shared a few thoughts on the subject:
“And
work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who
happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God.” (Ephesians 6:7 MSG)
Let’s take the topic down to a more personal level. On a scale of one to ten, how much would you
say you smile? Are you an “8” with
plenty of smiles to share? Maybe a “5”
with smiles only when you care? Or even
a “2” with barely a smile to spare? If
you feel you’ve lost your smile today, don’t worry. It’s never far away. It’s ready to expose right under your
nose. Why not consider sharing a smile
with someone who needs it today? The
next time you pass a complete stranger, flash ‘em your best smile. It may be a psychology student studying
you. Or it may just be someone who needs
a little sunshine streamed into their life today.
“May the Lord smile on
you and be gracious to you. May the Lord
show you his favor and give you his peace.”
Numbers 6:25-26 NLT
Question: How many times a day do you think you smile? What
might help you to smile more?
* “Surly Londoners at
Bottom of UK ‘Grin League’”, Reuters News Service, February 25, 2003.
Guest Blogger and Member of FHC, Todd Chobotar
BLOG | http://www.ToddChobotar.com
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