Page 13 - April 2021 Voices
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change, try something that is free—give people the only white person there—everyone else was
a smile! In fact, haven’t we all heard that it takes Latino, Asian or African American. Segregation
more muscles to frown than it does to smile? A was a pretty big deal when I was a child in the
smile is actually saving us energy! 50’s, and I remembered terrible stories about
I learned the power of a smile shortly after people getting lost or stranded in the “wrong”
I moved to San Jose, California in 1982. The part of town. I started to panic and wondered
neighborhood where I grew up in SE Portland what was going to happen next. Suddenly, it
was all German and Italian Catholics, so I had occurred to me that all these people did not
very little exposure to racial and ethnic diversity. come to this place to hurt me. They were there
One day I was driving through an unfamiliar area for the same reason I was—they were hungry and
of San Jose, and stopped at a fast food restaurant wanted something to eat. As I thought about my
for lunch. While standing in line reading the unreasonable and ridiculous fears, I started to
menu board, I suddenly realized that everyone smile. You could actually see shoulders drop as
stopped talking when I walked in, and they were the tension faded and people started to breathe
watching me. I looked around and saw that I was again. Conversations resumed as I ordered
my food and left. That smile made a lot of
difference.
Many things have changed since that day
in San Jose nearly 40 years ago. However, we
still seem to fear and mistrust those who are
different. Maybe we could all get along in a
perfect world, but we are far from perfect.
The conflicts continue in various parts of
the world, and yes, here in the United States.
My sphere of influence is rather limited.
All I can do is smile at one person at a time,
and hopefully, make their day a little more
pleasant. Will children know my name
100 years from now—only time will tell.
Meanwhile, I challenge all of you to make
a difference, one smile at a time.
VOICES! | APRIL 2021 13
