I have come to the conclusion that it's nearly impossible to feel lonely in a place where everyone smiles at you. Children, women, men, cats, malnourished dogs, thd rich and the poor. I never thought I'd actually feel the depth of the saying" a smile is worth a thousand words." that is, until today.
My hour + (one way) walk into the main town, Ban Saladan, today proved to be one of the mist heartwarming afternoons I have encountered since entering dear Thailand. Dripping with sweat (although I much prefer to say I "glisten") I continued to trudge up the dusty main road along the coastline in hopes of tracking down an artist whose work I fell in love with a few days prior. Although I did in the end find him (and his soul candy) later, it was not that end goal that provided the most reward. In fact, the most happiness came in the form of a disarray of street stalls overflowing with fresh vegetables, meats, fish, and god knows what else, while Thai music blasted from a makeshift stage and hundreds of childen frollicked and played about in what most readily seemed comparable to some sort of carnival. Granted, a "carnival" here is nothing like that back home so I urge you to envision just a small parcel of land on the side of a road piled high with food stalls, cheap toys, and...endless smiles. I mean genuine, authentic, open and heartwarming smiles. I have often been in a room full of people I know quite well, and still felt completely an utterly alone before. Today though, it couldn't have been more opposite. There I was, completely surrounded by strangers and never once did I feel out of place. That feeling, was worth a thousand words, and yet at the same I was/am rendered nearly speechless.
No matter The sadness or despair we may encounter in our lives, I urge you to remember to smile. Smile b/c you can, b/c you deserve to, and b/c your smile (even without you knowing) brings joy to this world. Warm a heart...if even for only a day.
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