December 11, 2008

Smile - It's Charity



Smiling is infectious,
You can catch it like the flu.
Someone smiled at me today,
And I started smiling too.

On my last trip to the grocery store, when I was left with both kids in the trolley and no hubby to assist me (which sounds like a recipe for disaster) – surprisingly it turned out to be the most pleasant shopping experience I’ve had in a while. Why? You ask. Well, to begin with, everyone who passed by smiled at me & wished me a good day. One lady walked up to me and held my hand and told me “Darling, you look beautiful today!” This, coming from a complete stranger! I was surprised to hear this, but it did make my day. Just those few gestures of kindness and empathy they exhibited made me feel so much better.

Many times we go about life, doing our business and we forget the simple things that can brighten up our day and make everything so much more worthwhile. When I’m all stressed and buried neck deep in housework all I need is a smile from my little ones to lighten things up and help me get through my daily chores.

According to Psychologist Robert Zajonc: "There is now compelling evidence that smiling causes people to feel happy. Requiring people to smile, no matter how they really feel at first, results in increased positive feelings; frowning conversely decreases positive feelings."

From this experience I’ve learnt that smiling and showing compassion to people around you can have a positive impact on their lives. So smile away, and make someone’s day!

And I cannot go by without mentioning this hadith that springs to my mind:

Abu Dharr (ra) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “There is no person who does not have the obligation of (doing) charity every day that the sun rises.”

Whereupon he was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, from where would we get something to give in charity (so often)?” To which he (pbuh) replied, “Indeed the gates to goodness are many: glorifying God, praising Him, magnifying Him, saying ‘There is no god but Allah,’ enjoining the good and forbidding the wrong, removing (any source of) harm from the road, making the deaf hear (and understand), guiding the blind, showing the seeker his need, striving as far as your two legs could carry you and with deep concern to give succor to him who asks, carrying with the strength of your arms (the burdens of) the weak. All these are (acts of) charity.” And he added, “And your smiling in the face of your brother is charity, your removing of stones, thorns, and bones from people’s paths is charity, and your guiding a man gone astray in the world is charity for you.”

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