This post in Sanjay’s blog got me started.
I love kids. I love it when kids smile. Whenever I see a kid, I smile at him. And you know what’s fun – no matter how old is the kid, no matter if that’s a boy or a girl, no matter what time of a day it is, no matter in what mood the kid was, no matter if parents are around or not, not matter if the kids knows me personally or not – the reaction is ALWAYS the same. A smile.
Adults are different. You have to catch them either in the right mood or offguard. Adults’ reactions also depend on circumstances. They think to much. Most of them at least. Why did he smiled at me? Is it a smile or is he laughing at me? What’s so funny? Etc, etc, etc… It’s just not the same.
When I smile at a kid, and the kid smiles back, it’s like we’re the only two beings in the universe and nothing else matters. It’s one of the most pure experiences that I had. Every time.
Try it. Go out on a street, walk a bit, until you see a kid, wait for the kid to see your face, and then smile kindly. That’s it. No laughing, no talking, no gestures, no toys, no “Oh, you sweet little, you…”. Just a smile. And watch him smile back. Enjoy.