A simple pleasure of mine is smiling at old people.

In my experience most smile back.

It seems like maybe they didn’t expect me to smile.

I like to think that. Surprise is good. It adds some spice to the day.

I don’t know why they wouldn’t expect a smile, maybe not many people smile in the street in general.

I find it easier to smile at older people, because they seem friendly and also I can run faster than them if they take my smile the wrong way and want to pick a fight! The later has never happened incidentally.

Maybe it is because they generally live at a slower pace and actually have time to notice that someone is walking past them.

Perhaps they are not as pre-occupied with the shopping, the errands, the striving for more that my generation sometimes seems caught up in.

I hope when I am older I will see young people smiling at me. I will most definitely smile back (and I promise not to pick a fight).

Do you ever smile at old people in the street?

Would you be willing to share your experience with me here?

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