Great story! It reminds me of a similar topic, do you know the social impact of a smile?
I can explain it simply. How do you feel when someone smiles at you? Inwardly, I'm sure you like it. Maybe you even smile back.
Then you'll be in a happier mood in the next few minutes/hours than you were before. So in turn, you're going to smile at several people. Who in turn will smile back at others.
The opposite, anger, also has the same effect. If you're a real asshole to one person, that person is more likely to be an asshole to someone else.
All this to say that we all have an impact on others.
There is a chapter on smiles in Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. It describes the power of smiles when we're interacting with people, and it is just as you explained. I might as well revisit that chapter, now that you remind me.
Truly, man, the things we do can have lasting impressions on people. And lasting impressions of kindness can go a very long way.
I wonder, though, do you smile much when you're in public?
Oh yes, you're right, I'd better reread it too. I'd completely forgotten about this book, which is packed with information!
As for smiling in public, it's not obvious, I have a lot of trouble doing it myself. I usually smile when someone looks at me for more than 2 or 3 seconds.
So I'm not one of those people who smile easily, but I do my best to smile and share good vibes 😉
You have read it! So you know just what u was talking about.
If you do that, smile for about 3 seconds when people look at you, I think that's cool. You're doing it anyway.