Make My Day!

No, seriously...make my day! It's really easy!
Maybe I'm just one of those people who's so easily pleased, that any little thing with make me smile. Nah, that's not it. Maybe I'm so desperate for something to smile about, that I'll smile about anything. Nope, that's not it, either.
The fact of the matter is that I was raised to appreciate the little things in life (no self-pun intended...). I was brought up in a household where rainbows, moonlight, snowflakes, butterflies...even Christmas lights were magical things. They were each something tiny, yet beautiful, and my mother wanted me to see the simple beauty in everyday things. It's what gave me my photographic perspective, and for that reason, my motto is "For every beauty, there is an eye somewhere to see it." On the other hand, it also gave me Magpie Syndrome - I'll stop dead in my tracks on a busy sidewalk to investigate something sparkly. And as much as it always irritated my mother, it fostered my love for little bits of treasure (or, as Mom calls them, my "inkity trinketies") LOL
To that end, when something simple happens, I revel in it to the fullest possible extent. Everything is a celebration, at least in my heart, and I really wish more people saw it that way. Here's an example:
The other night, my knee was aching BADLY while I was at work, so I spent my entire shift gimping around the store and trying to stay off of ladders. While on my break, I went downstairs to the outdoor smoking area (we smokers are banished to a particularly windy outer corner of the mall building), and as I was wading through the mass of people, I realized that the man (I can hardly call him a gentleman...) in front of me had noticed me and my distinct hobble, but was still so dead-set on leaving the store in a flash that he was going to let the door shut before I could come through.
So, I huffed a little inwardly and kept on toward the door, ready to shove it open, when lo and behold...the door opened in front of me! A hat-clad head peeked around the door at me and I heard someone say "Are you alright, miss? You look like you could use a hand!" It was the Salvation Army greeter. He'd actually set down his bell and stopped what he was doing to help me out! He is the first of many SA greeters I've seen in my lifetime to actually put aside his work to lend a hand, and I couldn't help but let my huff float away and smile as bright as I could for him. I thanked him, of course, and he just smiled and said "No need to thank me...everyone needs a little help now and then!"
For the rest of my smoke break, I smiled. Before that, my knee had been killing me and customers had been generally wretched, with a few pleasant exceptions, and that simple gesture turned my mood right around! As I passed his collection kettle on my way back in, I dropped my spare change like I usually do, and wouldn't you know...before I could thank him, he leapt to and opened the door for me! I thanked him again, and this time he just winked. His help and his smile did wonders for me, and mean-spirited customers suddenly didn't matter for the rest of my shift, because I had that special little thing to hang onto.
So, in the spirit of making my day, here's a few things that will always and forever do just that!
1. Share something with me - Whether it's a picture of someone you care about, a story you heard, or even just a laugh over something silly...the fact that you cared enough to share it means the world to me!
2. Be nice to me - Too many people hang onto the negative things that happen to them, so I try my best to remember the people who go that little extra mile to show me a little courtesy!
3. Don't be afraid to say "Hi!" - In my line of work, I see so many people in a day that I can't keep count of them all. But, sadly, most of those people never say hello to me, even though I make it a point to greet every person I see. Outside of that, I do my best to be friendly to anyone who comes along, no matter if I'll ever see them again. Taking a second to say "Hi, there!" leaves a lasting impression, believe me!
I don't expect the world to be my best friend, and I certainly don't expect perfection. I don't expect to change the world, but maybe my philosophy could change some attitudes. And, really, wouldn't it be a little nicer for everyone if more people found a some amount of joy in something as simple as a smile?

"The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for."
~ Ernest Hemmingway