Smiling….the Universal Language that Connects Us All

Many people travel during their lifetime, whether that is for work or pleasure. Many of those travels may take us to far away locations where the locals speak another language. Others may remain in familiar territory, yet encounter visitors who are communicating in a foreign language. In either case, one form of communication that we all share worldwide is a smile.

A smile is a very friendly jester and greeting to another person. Regardless of what language you speak, nearly everyone interprets a smile in the same way. Recently I was in a foreign land where my native language (i.e. English) was rarely spoken, nor understood. I was faced with many encounters where I could not decipher a word of written, or spoken, communication. And mind you, I studied the language a little and knew their alphabet and some basic greetings.

The one thing I did realize during my foreign travels was that I found comfort in smiling. Smiling was the one form of communication that both myself, and the person I was trying to communicate with, understood. At times I even felt especially connected to them when they smiled back. I realized that I had forgotten how important a smile can be. That is, until I was in a foreign land and began using it more often. I also realized that I had not used it much when I was home and living my daily life. A simple smile can go a long way and scientists have even stated that it takes fewer muscles to form a smile on our faces then it does to frown.

So the next time you encounter someone you don’t know, whether that be in a foreign land or in the comfort of your own home town, smile at them. You never know how much it can brighten someone’s day, including your own.