"Smiling at strangers is the new smoking."
In the town where I grew up, we waved to each other. Whether or not we knew each other’s name, we would wave as we passed, even on opposite sides of the street. It was just what we did. Even in a tourist town, we knew our fellow residents and we greeted each other. Where I live now has a reputation of being “nice,” but I find the society to be rather cold. After suffering under this chill for years, I’ve learned that I have a latent superpower: the power to thaw. It’s helped by the fact that people really do want to warm up; they just need someone to make the first grin. So I call on the part of me that remembers my hometown and I smile, or even wave. Sure, I get strange looks sometimes, but the smiles and waves that I do get back make it all worth it. (Inspired by Rock Paper Cynic.)
