I’m pondering this a lot lately. There’s something to the universality of the expression. It’s understood, as far as I know, across cultures, across the world. It’s everlasting as a silent way to convey happiness. But here’s what else I think a smile can say: peace, serenity, acceptance, openess, gentleness, appreciation, kindness, love, understanding.
Here’s what I love the most about a smile: Almost every time we give one, we get one. And in that tiny, fleeting moment, this is the message behind the mirrored flash: I’m like you; you’re like me.
Take-Away Tip We often give the person on either side of our mat a smile at the beginning of my classes. Sometimes, I close by talking about taking that smile to a stranger, off the mat.
