The Cost of a Smile

Let me just share to you this beautiful story from Mountain Wings....

I am a 58-year-old woman who was fortunate enough to have the
world's greatest mom with me until a year and a half ago.  There
are no words to describe how much I miss her.

I know this may seem strange to tell and believe me, I am not
looking for a substitute for my mom, but I have found myself
looking at elderly ladies and thinking how nice it would
be to adopt one.

At the grocery store just last week, I saw a dear person near me;
we were both bagging some produce.  I looked at her and politely
said, "The produce here is always attractive isn't it?"

Why did I engage in a conversation?

Because I just needed a smile or a kind word from this lady.

What I got has had a profound effect on me.  This sweet person
looked at me as if I were an alien, did not speak and did not
smile, but just looked at me dumbfounded.  I moved away crushed
and almost cried.

I NEEDED her to give me just a kind word or a smile, no
more.  I vowed then to always stop what I am doing no matter how
much in a hurry I am or what the other person looks like, and
give that kind word or smile.  Give the kind word or a smile.

It may really be NEEDED.

None of us knows what is going on in the life or thoughts of
another.  As my sister so wisely pointed out as I related this
story to her, we are all God's children and He loves all of us
no matter how we may look to each other.

A kind word or a smile can be just a brief encounter in our life
but can last forever in the heart of another.

~A MountainWings Original respectfully written y Pat Ferguson~