Smile...(please!)

Now that I'm an empty nester and 'entrepreneuring' from home, I'm often out and about during the day.  This is relatively new for me and I've noticed something over the past few weeks that makes me a little crazy.  And I need to get it off my chest!

Here's the thing:  Not many people smile, let alone make eye contact. 

First I thought it was me but I assure you I do shower and look fairly decent when I'm in public places. I don't think I'm an eyesore just yet.   But to play it safe, and just in case it actually was me, I did make the time to observe other people's interactions in stores, banks, movie theaters, etc. and my findings were consistent - not a lot of smiles out there. 

Are people so obsessed with their phones that they don't even look up? Are people so rushed and hurried that they don't have the time to engage?  Do people think smiling is creepy and could be perceived as harassment of some sort? 

This makes me so sad. This makes me wonder what the reasons are behind it.  I am hoping and praying that this is not the new normal. Human interaction and connection is vital to our existence.  

All I know is that this is yet another reason for me to continue spreading positivity. If just one of my social media posts results in putting a smile on someone's face, maybe she'll not only keep the smile smiling, but also pass it along to other people. Smiling is indeed contagious and it's free.  It's not creepy or weird.  It's happy and bright and I think we could all use a lot more of that these days, don't you?