She finally broke! (3mins read)
Here's a funny lesson about consistency and the power of your smile.
So, there's this old woman sitting on her balcony on my way when I drive out of my area every morning looking stoic but always fixing weaves on a mannequin.
On greeting her, no response, no emotions, no blinking...just a cold, forlon face. Kinda scary atimes but I never stopped greeting her and as you probably already know, I do it beaming with some smile that makes even the sunshine looks shy.
And I greet her everyday but she never responds...as in, never!
Her gothic features reveal a woman who has probably gone through a lot. Many African youths would have resolved she's a witch just by virtue of her wrinkles and well-worn face.
On my way every evening she's still there fixing weaves, looking very bland and blank and when I greet her accompanied with my sunset glow of a smile, all I get is that lifeless stare.
At first, I was thinking..."is she blind?" And even if she is, she's probably not deaf and must have heard my voice greeting her every now and then.
Who is this boorish old lady, fixing weaves?!
I kept greeting her...like a ritual.
Something in me could connect with her pain, whatever it was -the loss of a child, irresponsible children, lack of money...hmmmn, NOT lack of money because she's always fixing weaves and those weaves must be for sale. In fact, I may know where she can sell those weaves and earn in foreign currency but why would I even tell her since she never ever thought to dignify my greetings and smile with even a half-nod!
So, yesterday evening I saw a rainbow formed in the sky...that's like GOD smiling down on us. It was a great sight, so surreal, so unreal.
If GOD smiles and I'm sure he does, I resolved, I will keep smiling not just to everyone I meet but to this old cheerless woman always sitting on a chair fixing weaves.
This morning, a miracle happened.
As I was driving past, I greeted and smiled and without any expectations I started to move on before I suddenly noticed someone forming her features into a pleased, amused expression...with the corner of the mouth turned up and the front teeth exposed!
At last, she broke!
And I couldn't help but cry..and then I laughed...weeks and weeks of smiles have finally yielded an harvest of laughter!
Peradventure there's someone or something you're almost giving up on...never give up on them. Your little act of kindness, those words of encouragement, those tiny little 'behind-the-scenes', steps...they all add up and become a bumper harvest you'd eventually be proud of.
Light up someone's world everyday, keep that smile on.
fifeBANKS
