Peace - The power of a simple smile
The second week of Advent during the Christmas season revolves around the theme of PEACE.
Whenever the word ‘peace' is uttered, my subconscious begins to sing the song:
‘Let there be peace on earth
and let it begin with me…
Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.’
My children will tell you that ever since they were toddlers, I’ve encouraged them to “share a smile.” Gentle smiles and genuine kindness are some of the simplest ways we can spread positive energy. It’s contagious!
We revisited this idea the other day while talking about Advent and peace. I mentioned Mother Teresa’s famous quote, “Peace begins with a smile.” I couldn’t resist joking, “See? Mother Teresa agrees with me! Smiling is the best way to spread joy!”
My middle schooler wasn’t convinced it would work in school. He told me he didn’t think a simple smile would make much difference in a building full of rowdy, exhausted preteens. I disagreed and challenged him to put it to the test.
Nobody needed to know what he was doing, but I wanted him to conduct a quiet experiment: if he intentionally smiled, made eye contact, and said hello to friends and teachers throughout the day, how does the energy around him shift?
I challenge you to do the same. Whether it’s at work, at an event, or within your household… intentionally greet others with a smile and watch how the energy around you lifts.
Kindness naturally emits positive energy. Positive energy creates positive environments. And positive environments are where peace lives.
Of course, we all have days when we feel foggy, frustrated, or just off-center. Acknowledge the feeling. Give yourself a quiet moment to process it. Then take a deep breath and hit your internal reset button.
When we send positive energy out, it has a way of circling right back to us. It fills our cup right back up.
When asked the hypothetical question, “If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?” one of the most common answers includes World Peace.
It’s a dream shared by many across the globe. The idea of living in true happiness and peaceful harmony. The hope of ending hunger, violence, poverty, and sorrow.
While none of us can single-handedly erase the world’s biggest problems, we can influence the spaces we move through every day. We can allow peace to begin within us and then ripple outward to our families, friends, neighbors, classmates, and coworkers.
If every person made a simple, intentional effort to smile and greet each other with respect… imagine how much closer we’d be to peace on earth.