I recently watched an interview with Stephen Fry entitled “What I wish I knew when I was 18.” A lot of what Stephen said in that video resonates with me because recently I have been re-evaluating what I value in life, especially how I treat and care for the people around me and in my community.
In general, I want to be more open, friendlier, and a better listener. I want to support and encourage people, and spend time getting to know them. It’s not something I want to force, but I want to be less insular and less insecure, and think more proactively about the people around me. How are they feeling, how can I brighten their day? How can I allow them to feel comfortable around me?
I remember a friend who wrote an article for our high school newspaper. It was about how she had been having a very rough time and somebody she did not know smiled at her in the hallway in between classes. It was genuine, and the person didn’t judge her or ask anything of her. The person just acknowledged that she was another human who wants to be loved. My friend’s quote in the senior yearbook made quite an impression on me.
“A smile makes all the difference.”
So, that’s where I’m starting on my journey to be a more loving, compassionate, and empathetic person. I’m going to smile more.