#CommunityChallenge Letter to a stranger.
A 10-day writing challenge at Blogging community
Dear stranger,
Subject: Smile.
Usually, I happen to not pass by strangers much, as I do not take the tram, or walk down the lane. (I am that lazy). But, whenever I happen to come across new faces at the market or my favorite outlet, I make sure my tight-lipped smile eases the tension of the awkward-accidental eye contact.
As per the oculesics, an eye contact is a form of nonverbal communication. Hence, the smile ensures that I have a heart of gold and your child stays safe around a stranger like me.
However, smiling back is free of cost, still many prefer an eye roll or just look away.
Similarly, the regular act of gentleness might even give out the wrong signals. Smiling at a stranger of the opposite gender gets misinterpreted as the license to flirt. Here, the tables turn, with the eye rolls and looks of disgust get served.
Just smile. I wonder how strangers can hold up a frown or a straight face for so long. At least I can’t, or I can, but, I may not.
So, let’s spread the sparkle and smile more often with no hidden intentions at all.
Regards,
Beaming
Irut
Do let us know in the comment. how you feel about the letter to ‘a stranger’.
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I smile and wave at people I don’t know. My kid assumes I must know them if I am extending this basic courtesy. I find it sad that the current generation thinks being friendly has to be based on whether you know someone or not. I like to think that my free of cost smile for no reason might cheer up someone who is having a bad day.
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Soooo true… even I perceive it in this manner..
but .. it should be practiced more often by the kids of today
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Couldn’t agree more Niki. Your smile could cheer up someone who is having a bad day but that moment of affection makes a massive difference.. love that.
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No disrespect. Here in India if some stranger waves and smiles at me, my brain starts thinking that he/she is going to ask for a contribution for a non-profit or is trying to sell me their “award-winning unique” educational method for my kid. “I just lost my job” is my standard response these days.
It did feel weird first and then nice when people who walk past you randomly ask “how are you doing?” when I was the US briefly.
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LOL!! Ya people as paranoid as you are the ones who give eye rolls and ignore the smiles😂😂🤪
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Let’s just agree to call this survival instinct, shall we? 😀
Btw, that’s how I learnt to say no. https://sadagopangovindan.com/2017/02/18/learning-to-say-no/
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Yea sure.. and thanks for the link.. I need to brush up my skills
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It costs nothing to smile and uses the least amount of muscle power, but we can’t seem to fathom the notion to do it as often. When I started working in London and getting the train, that was an era when phones were uncommon. This meant you either started a conversation around a book or with a smile. If someone takes your smile the wrong way, what can one do…but to keep on smiling.
Intrigued as to why the tight lip smile..
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Im very awkward when it comes to non virtual socializing or interaction.. I am an introvert that way… I am more comfortable on this forum as no one knows me or sees me or I cant see your reactions while reading whatever I put across😬😬 that is why I usually have that smile to begin with🙂
I really admire people who are good conversation starters on a train or a bus… like woow.. they have some people skiillllsss man🤪
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Lol. What’s our biggest fear for why we don’t start a conversation?? That the person on the other side won’t reciprocate. When I was in my teens I’d say my personality was like a closed book. You had to chip away to get something in return.
I’d say a massive shift took place in my approach, probably around 10years ago and I went from a quiet character to the instigator. Then 5yrs ago we started doing the comedy. I still have moments of quietness or staying in the shadows….I need that but I’m much better then my days of youth 😁
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Thats a positive change.. i wonder what made the change…
For me, the thing is I can keep mum for a flight of 14 hours without a chit chat.. ya but if it comes from the other person .. then I can even make him regret starting a conversation and keep him awake with my blabbering for complete 14 hours😃😃😃 its just you need to start i can take you to the finish line🤪🤪
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Sounds like a great relay race….I’ll kick off you run through the finish line for the photos 😆
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I am with you on this. People often find me very silent compared to my text/chat/ online presence.. think I am more of a textrovert.. But I need that time to understand what level of a joke the other person can take. If somebody sticks through and crosses that time, they usually find me annoyingly talkative and sarcastic.
if someone meets me first time directly in person, they usually think I am very soft and gentle and too nice. They usually get surprised a bit later when I have warmed up to them 😀
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Heheheh .. ya so relatable..
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Steady starter…strong finisher then.
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It took me such a long time to reach the comment space 😀
I am one of those who doesn’t smile to unknown people (Though I appreciate Niki’s attempt to do that) I remember this time when an old uncle used to say Good morning to me on my way to school. I ignored him the first day but started replying back with a smile from the second. We just made a connection of him saying good morning and me passing back a smile. I started this initially because I thought maybe he knows my parents but his consistency to wish me just warmed my heart. It’s been a long time since I walked the path to my school early in the morning.
On the other hand, I do pass a smile to people who I know. I smile and leave because I don’t want to have conversations with most of the people. They aren’t worth my time 😛
Also, I think I should try Sada’s “I just lost my job” idea. Not because I find it hilarious but because that might actually help me relieve myself from some people.
Just like Sada, I’m one of those who takes time to know people and then open up. But yeah, I’m pretty much open when it comes to talking online 😛
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I guess that’s what brings us all together here.. we are the peas of the same pod dispersed all over the globe.. look out for more people who fit in here😂
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