I’ve recently read “The Kalahari Typing School for Men” by Alexander McCall Smith. I enjoyed it very much, as much as all the previous books in the “The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series“ and other books by this author.
The following quote from “The Kalahari Typing School for Men” drew my attention and made me want to count it to my favorite quotes:
“People’s lives are delicate: you cannot interfere with them without running the risk of changing them profoundly. A chance remark, a careless involvement, may make the difference between a life of happiness and one of sorrow.” Alexander McCall Smith
This is very true. We sometimes do not think what impression our behavior and words can make on people surrounding us and their lives. We follow our agendas and often forget that these might collide with agendas and feelings of others. Being present, attentive, interested in and compassionate to everyone around us will directly lead to smiles, understanding and less conflicts between people. I’m impressed again and again by effect of a genuine smile on other people. Their faces light up and there is at least one small second of pure happiness in them.
And there is someone else we have to treat kind. Ourselves. We have all those self-judging and annihilating thoughts. We often don’t realize that we offend ourselves as much as or even more than a hurtful word from another person.
Here is my call-out to everyone who reads this, including myself:
Let’s be kind to ourselves and everyone around us.
Picture: One of the best places to get “infected” by a smile is a celebration or a big party. I’ve seen many wonderful smiles at the Sankt Hans celebrations in Aalborg last week.
