But They Think I'm An Alien

I think Cosmo must be right. I always expect people to smile back and they almost always do:)

I'm from just north of you, also a rural area. I know you're going to think I'm crazy, Kamisgirl, but I do believe that our expectations play a part in what actually happens.And, it might not happen the first time, or the second, but over time, it will.---I almost always get the green light and a great parking spot, too. I'm not being flippant with you. I just expect it to happen:)

When I was a kid I made a game of smiling. I would try to see how many people I could get to smile with my smile.

Many people are very wrapped up in their own mind that they do not even see you sharing your love with the world.

Many people believe a stranger smiling at them means the stranger wants something from them. That is why you get the weird looks.

Never stop smiling, because you are sharing your love with the world and that is a precious and beautiful gift you are willing to give. You never know who's life you may change that day even if you don't get to see the results.

Smiles, Light and Love - RavenWolf

Tell me about it! I always smile to people on the street, but when they give you a filthy look back or ignore you entirely, you just stop trying. It's sad how unfriendly we all are nowadays - when I hold open doors for people, they completely ignore me too! It might sound old-fashioned, but it is quite irritating when you're a nice girl, just standing there holding open the door and no one can even smile or say thankyou, let alone offer to take it for you! It's really worrying just how anti social we're all becoming.

I will carry on smiling, in hope that I might improve somebodies day but it would be nice if once in a while, people weren't so damn rude....I want to be kind, and have hope that maybe they didn't smile back because they were having a bad day but at the same time, I don't want to be a fool :)

my motto in life is 'if you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours,.
I get the strangest looks but I always smile at everyone who's eyes I meet. Its a lovely feeling to be able to walk around smiling and genuinely mean it.

I'm really glad I'm not the only person that smiles at strangers! I think I picked it up from my mama - she's in her late 60s now, and it seems to me that people in her generation are much more likely to smile back at me than younger ones. Just an observation. I think a lot of people these days are too busy to even register that the smile is even directed at them - sad, really.

Most of the time while waiting in line at the grocery store I notice who is in a hurry and impatient (most people). Most don't take the time to appreciate the moment, and experience every moment and all that is good. I make it a point to read the cashier's name tag and say "thank you Jane/John" and it shows them that I actually give a #%$*. I do enjoy saying hello to a stranger and have the ability to strike up a conversation with most anyone. I guess I appreciate life and all it's happenings. Wish more did.

i think it is great to be friendly. i often smile at people and even talk to them out of the blue. my daughter says it embaresses her - how can i do it. but i just do. I am friendly by nature. Sometime people are friendly back, sometimes they are rude. Does it really matter? To me No - i am who i am and i love being me.

The same thing happens to me. I was told that smiles are contagious but every morning when I ride my bike and smile at someone they look back like they think I am on drugs, but on the other hand some people smile back like they can't believe anyone noticed them at all and that in itself is worth continuing trying to spread it around.

I grew up in Chicago proper and Chicagoland, now live in the "big city" of 50k in semi rural WI...moving into the country (my dream). I smile and chat with almost everybody. Pitch in to pick up something they've dropped, laugh with the person behind the counter wherever I go. Heck, I greet the WalMart Greeter. If ppl think I'm 'weird' I'm glad I don't know about it. I would likely try more... but if this kept up...I'd withdraw too. This would be a darn shame...as one of my goals in life is to make others feel good, or happy...to bring a smile to others. Yes, it sounds very pollyanna... so sue me. lolol

Smiling at all here and thanking you for your words.

d-

I forgot to mention "Northern VA" is not part of VA, psychologically.

I say, keep smiling!!!! I bet all of those people needed the smile you gave more than you know, more than he or she even realized. I've received sincere smiles that have brightened my day, and I can still see some of them.... thanks to all who smile

Hi!

This resonates with me.

I remember on my first day of University, my brother & I were walking from our Apartment to Campus, and the first piece of advice he gave me was 'don't smile at people'

I found it strange, but apparently it causes unwanted attention from the wrong kinds of people sometimes.

Now that I am out of University, I still do it... I smile at folks when I see them. It's most natural to me. I love when people smile at me, perfect strangers. What I do find strange, is if I smile at someone and they don't smile back... that seems unnatural (unless they think I'm giving off a weird vibe, which I don't think I do)... but like Cosmo said on one of the above comments, it depends on where you are...



To end this comment, by the end of my first year of University, I was voted as the only year 1 person who knows SOO many ppl on campus. & the thing was, I didn't really know everyone, just my smiling personality allowed them to smile @ me and hail me out & stop to talk (so it worked out well after all)

Yeah sometimes it has to do with them having a bad day which is the result of the environment they are in on that particular day and the course of events that led up to that moment. I think i've had my share of experience of what you just said but don't let anything stop you from continuing smiling or being open to showing love because i think were starting to realize the world is changing in the worst way and we have to get the message across to as many as we can to bring it back to the way it should be. There are certain things that will take time to change and some things that cause conflict like politics and religion we obviously can't change at present but it is a social paradox that we are torn between the way other people do things and the way we know and feel we should do them inside, also overcoming our fear of society is very important, i believe we should think and feel for ourselves with the openess to be considerate to others.
: D

Same here. Sometimes I thinks it's the part of town I'm in cause I do get smiles back. Other times I wonder what side of the trash can did they wake up on. Smiling is healthy, so I do it all the time.