The Healing Journey

February 1, 2025

“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.”
— Mother Teresa

The following reflection is a reader favorite, which we are running again. It is taken from a speech about the importance of smiling, which was given by college freshman Dayana in her public speaking class.

“When I began to work as a cashier at the supermarket in October, we were required to wear our masks due to COVID, but in April, we were allowed to take them off. 

I remember the first day I took my mask off. I was dropped off at work, and I felt upset and did not want to work. Even worse, I had to close the store. Being a cashier, you interact with people all day, and I did not want to at all, yet I still clocked in and went straight to register 10. The sun was beginning to set, so there was a glow inside of the store. I felt weird, emotionally and physically. I didn’t have my mask on and felt so exposed, vulnerable even. 

One by one, customers came up with their carts, filled to the top with the sales of the week, and one by one, I greeted them with a smile and a “Hi, how are you?” To tell the truth, I could’ve stayed quiet, just silently scanned their groceries and let them go their own way, but I tried to keep myself together. 

Then, this man came in an electric cart. I smiled and greeted the older man, who had only three items in his cart. I said, “Hi, how are you, sir?” He just stared at me with a slight smile. I assumed he was hard of hearing, so I repeated myself and spoke louder. He apologized and said, “Sorry. I got distracted by your beautiful smile.” 

I was a little taken aback, but I thanked him and continued to scan his groceries. At the end, I said with a smile, “Your total is $28.76, would you like to use your card today?” He again stared, and I repeated myself, and he apologized again and said, “I am so sorry, I got distracted again by your smile.” At the end of his transaction, I smiled and said, “Have a wonderful day,” and he smiled back. 

A little later, my coworker told me, “Stop making the customers cry.” I was confused because it’s usually the other way around. She then said that an older man in an electric cart cried to the manager about how much I reminded him of his daughter who had passed away, and it was because of my smile. 

It’s been three years now, and I think about that man at least once every shift, and I don’t even know his name. Since then, it is rare the day I don’t smile at work. Frequently, I have customers tell me, “Keep that smile on your face please.” 

It does not take a lot nor does it cost money, but a smile can change someone’s day.”

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