The gift of a smile

I’ve been spending some time at my parent’s house, back in my home, my country. These are my good earned vacations but also the opportunity for my son to practice my mother tongue as well as the opportunity for my parents to finally be grandparents.

I suppose everybody has once heard the saying “nobody is a prophet in his own land” and I’ve always felt that way.

Contrary to what some people might think, even as a foreigner in Austria, I find the people of Tyrol (“Unterland”) very friendly people who smile at you in the streets and that are very correct and respectful.

Today while walking through some places I noticed that people smile at me here too. And although I can’t remember how it was when I lived here (11 years ago), I don’t think people were so friendly.

I just read an article about life being a mirror of your own being, and it just clicked in me that I’ve changed for good in the last 11 years.

I noticed that wherever I walk I look at people in the eyes and smile and it is very beautiful to see those eyes smiling back. Most of them are surprised; big town people aren’t used to smiling eyes, let alone looking at strangers in the eyes at all.

Have you had this experience with complete strangers lately? This recognizing the human being in you and the person you smile at in this moment when your eyes catch. This is the simple but nice gift of a smile.

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