“All people smile in the same language.”
This quote is by George Carlin, an American comedian, author, and social critic who lived from 1937 to 2008. He was very creative and I’ve read that he wrote all of his own material. In addition to being humorous and entertaining, his comedy routines were thought-provoking, enlightening, and at times profound.
I have a small plaque that I bought at an arts fair 30-some years ago that has the words “All people smile in the same language” written in calligraphy on in. I just recently learned that those words are attributed to Carlin. The artist from whom I bought the plaque also painted some small birds on it. It’s one of my favorite pieces of artwork, both because it’s pretty and also because it’s a reminder that smiling is something people in all the regions of our world do.
There are many differences among the approximately 8.3 billion of us human beings who share this planet—different races, languages, worldviews, religious beliefs, abilities, gender identities, opinions, and others. But one thing we have in common is smiling; it’s a universal way of expressing happiness and good will.
Remembering this commonality leads me to also remember that all of us experience a variety of emotions. In addition to feelings of happiness, we feel sadness, fear, anxiety, anger, and surprise. And, although they might not be considered emotions per se, we also sometimes feel confused and sometimes hopeful. Keeping this in mind can help us to be more accepting of and empathic toward others. And it helps us to put less emphasis on our differences, especially when that emphasis leads to judgmental attitudes that are hurtful to others.
So as we go about our days, be mindful of our connection to people that a smile represents. And appreciate the smiles you receive from others and the positive effects of the smiles that you give to others.