A Simple Smile

Living large in Miami!

Summary

It’s funny how life works out. Sometimes the most significant things happen when you’re not even trying. When I was 18, I was a music student in Miami who found more success on the piano than in the classroom.

Each morning, I walked to school with a habit my mother taught me: smiling at people as they passed. I just wanted to get to where I was going, but one day, that simple habit led to a moment that I’ll never forget and would only come to understand years later.

The Story

Living large in Miami

Proverbs 17:22 - A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression.

I was 18, a music and jazz piano student at the University of Miami in Florida. My daily routine involved a half-mile walk from my dorm to the music school. I’ll be honest, my first year wasn’t exactly a showcase of academic excellence, but I was proud of one thing: I was the most improved piano player. There’s a whole story behind why I never went back to Miami after that, but that’s a tale for another time.

On my morning walk, I’d see fellow students hustling to class. I had a habit, something my mom taught me, of smiling and saying hello to people as they passed.

“A simple smile can encourage someone in their day,” she would always say.

I used to think it was a little weird, but I did it anyway, offering a friendly salutation. This wasn’t an easy exercise for me.

A Simple Salutation

Near the end of the school year, a young woman stopped me on campus. Part of me wondered, Where were you six or seven months ago?

She said, “I don’t know your name. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you study. I don’t know anything about you. But I want to thank you because almost every day I walk across campus and we pass each other; you always smile and say hi. It was such a joy and so helpful in my day.”

I was simply doing what my mom taught me, but her words made me realize the impact of a small gesture. It reminded me of that verse from Proverbs. It doesn’t take much to look up from your day and offer someone a little hope. I never got her name, and she never got mine. I never saw her again, but wherever she is, I hope that simple smile changed something in her life.

The Power of Joy

Reading that verse from Proverbs all these years later brought this memory back to life. “A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing.” The small bit of refreshing I offered to someone is something we can all offer to others.

Your smile and your hello can change somebody’s life.

Bring joy. Bring the cheer that someone’s heart may be refreshed and healed today.

A Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the simple wisdom found in the Proverbs that a joyful heart brings healing. I remember a time in my life, a younger, more unsure version of myself walking across a college campus, just trying to get to where I was going. You used a simple habit my mom taught me—a smile and a hello—to touch someone else’s life.

Lord, it’s amazing how a small act of kindness, something that didn’t take much effort at all, can be so impactful. I pray for that young woman I met on campus, and for everyone who needs a little refreshment in their day. Help me to remember that I can be an instrument of your love and cheer.

Help me to look up from my own hurried day and see the people around me. Remind me that a joyful heart is not just for my own benefit, but a gift I can offer to others.

May my smiles and hellos bring healing and hope to someone who needs it. Let my heart be a wellspring of joy that refreshes others, and in doing so, may my own heart be refreshed and healed today.

Amen

Key Takeaway

Based on my time in Miami, I learned that even a small, simple act of kindness—like a smile and a friendly hello—can bring joy and refreshment to someone else’s day. I was just following my mom’s advice, but I’ll never forget the impact it had on that young woman. It taught me that a joyful heart truly can bring healing to others.

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Questions for Spiritual Growth

• Think about the last time you were just going about your day, maybe walking to class or getting coffee. Did you look up from what you were doing and offer a simple smile or a friendly hello to a stranger? How did that small gesture feel to you, and what do you think it might have meant to them?

• A simple smile can encourage someone. What’s a small, almost insignificant thing that someone has done for you that had a surprisingly big impact on your day? How can you pay that forward this week and offer that same kind of unexpected grace to someone else?

• The verse in Proverbs says a joyful heart brings healing. When was the last time you felt truly joyful and cheerful, and what were you doing? Did you hold onto that joy, or did you share it with others?

• Consider your daily path—the people you see but don’t know. What small, intentional act could you start doing to bring a little light into their day, even if you never learn their story?

• My little gesture came from something my mom taught me. Who has influenced your faith and actions the most? What’s one specific thing they taught you about living a life of love and joy, and how can you live that out today?

Call to Action

You know, it’s easy to get so caught up in our own heads and our own day that we forget about the people around us. I know I did. I was just trying to get to where I was going, focused on my classes and my own life. But that encounter on campus taught me that even the smallest gesture can have a huge impact. It’s about giving a piece of yourself, a moment of joy, to someone else.

So, how can we make that a habit? Here is a simple plan for living large with a joyful heart every single day.

The Daily Challenge: A Plan for Joyful Connection

1. Look Up:

• First, be intentional. Put your phone away for a moment. Look up from your day, from your thoughts, from your troubles.

• Make eye contact with the person walking toward you. Acknowledge them as a person, not just a passing face.

2. Offer a Simple Smile:

• Think about the verse from Proverbs: “A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing.”

• A smile is a free gift you can give to anyone. It’s an outward sign of the cheerful heart that God wants to give you.

• This isn’t about a forced grin. It’s about a genuine, simple expression of kindness that can brighten someone’s day.

3. Add a Simple Salutation:

• Say “hello,” “good morning,” or “how are you?”

• You don’t need to stop for a long conversation. My mom was right: it’s a simple salutation that can go a long way.

4. Don’t Expect Anything in Return:

• The young woman on campus didn’t owe me anything. I wasn’t doing it for her thank you, and that’s the point.

• Your act of kindness is a gift, not a transaction. Give it freely and move on with your day.

That’s it. Four simple steps. It’s not about making a huge speech or starting a big project. It’s about remembering that the small bit of refreshment you can offer someone else can change their whole day. Your smile and your “hello” can bring joy, and in doing so, your own heart may be refreshed and healed.

Going Deeper

It’s funny how a simple habit from your mom can turn into a lifelong lesson. My walk across campus was just about getting from point A to point B, but that one encounter made me realize that it was about so much more. It’s about bringing the joy that’s inside you to the people around you.

Going deeper isn’t just about smiling more; it’s about what that smile represents. It’s about living from a truly joyful and cheerful heart. Here’s how you can make that a deeper part of your daily life.

• Begin with Your Heart: The Proverb says a joyful heart brings healing. The first step isn’t about what you do for others; it’s about what you cultivate inside yourself. Take a moment each morning to be still. Find something to be grateful for, no matter how small. A cheerful heart isn’t an accident—it’s a choice. Choose joy before you walk out your door.

• Practice Being Present: To go deeper, don’t just smile as you’re passing by. Be present in the moment. When you’re standing in line at the coffee shop or waiting for a bus, truly look at the people around you. See them as people, not just as obstacles or strangers. Acknowledging someone’s presence is the first step to connecting.

• Offer More Than a Hello: A simple hi can make a difference, but what if you took it a little further? This doesn’t mean you have to start a long conversation with everyone you meet. It might be a small, genuine compliment or a brief word of encouragement. It could be saying, “That’s a nice scarf,” or “I hope you have a great day.” A brief, sincere word can powerfully extend your cheerful heart.

• Don’t Look for a Thank You: Living large with a joyful heart isn’t about getting praise or recognition. When you give freely, without expectation, the act itself becomes a reward. Let go of the need for thanks and just give. Your action is a gift, and the impact is a beautiful mystery.

• Reflect on the Joy You Bring: At the end of your day, take a minute to think about your interactions. Did you make an effort to smile at the cashier? Did you offer someone a kind word? Reflecting on the joy you’ve given others can fill your heart with purpose and refreshment. It’s a way to show that a joyful heart truly brings healing. Let the joy you share with others fill your own soul.