“Smile at each other.” So said Mother Teresa, of Kolkata, India, in her book, “A Gift for God.” She implies that even though you may not be able to help them, you can at least smile at whoever you come across every day.
It costs nothing and is a powerful message for every human being. There are thousands of languages in the world; however, there is one universal language which everyone understands, a smile.
A beautiful movie, “Letters,” was made about Mother Teresa. It is amazing to see how a tiny lady from Albania became famous (a Nobel Laureate and then sainthood) through her service to the poor in Kolkata. Maybe it was her smiling face that won the hearts of millions.
Sometimes I purposefully smile at everyone I come across and note the response; however, you need to have eye contact. Otherwise people may think you are a mental patient. This also depends on culture. In some cultures, if you smile as a male to a woman, it may complicate the situation. Such is the world we live in.
When I was a university student in Bangladesh, I used to tutor a student in a posh area in Dhaka City. After getting down from the bus, I used to walk to the student’s house.
One day while walking I noticed two beautiful young girls smiling curiously at me from the roof-top of their building. I was fascinated, but I thought were they making fun out of me. Next day I was prepared and started walking very slowly. Yes, they were there on the rooftop. When I had an eye contact, they were waving their hand as if they are calling me. I stood outside the gate. They came down running with their radiant smiles and welcomed me.
“Would you please come inside?” Both the girls said simultaneously.
“Certainly,” was my instantaneous answer.
They took me to their living room and introduced to their mom. We talked for a while and I was served with tea and snacks.
Sometimes, a real story doesn’t end up as you wish or as you dream. The next day I discussed this incident with my college friends. They were excited and wanted me to arrange a meeting with them.
I used to keep French-cut beard since my college life. As it disguised the structural features of my face, my appearance resembled others.
In fact, that’s what had happened with the two pretty girls. They had a maternal uncle who lived abroad and instantaneously, I became their uncle.
I became very friendly to that family. However, with time, every aspect of your life end up in protein folds of your memory. You recollect and you smile and life goes on.
Jiben Roy, a native of Bangladesh, teaches chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences at Mississippi University for Women. His email address is [email protected].
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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