Smiles - a winning way

"Yesterday, for the first time ever, our neighbour smiled at me," Yen said as we were crossing the road at the traffic lights. "Not just a little smile, but a big smile and she nodded her head in greeting as well."

It's so hard for some people to smile. Our smiles convey an upbeat attitude about life, while our frowns project the opposite and cannot be explained away by gravity.

To begin with, the frown is an intimidator and discourager. When we encounter it in a salesperson, waiter, or someone else whose job is to serve us, we begin to wonder if we've come to the wrong place.

When we greet others with a smile, we take the first step toward showing their worth just by being themselves and by being there - in our presence. A smile is an encourager.

One caveat: Just as frowns can be authentic, so smiles can be phony and are easily spotted. Some smiles are akin to a frightened animal baring its teeth. There's also an ex-colleague known (behind his back) as "the smiling cobra."

Except for these instances, who wouldn't rather receive smiles than frowns?