Written by Devpreet SinghARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEOWrapped in thick woollens, as I walked squinting through the fog, Neetu, the lady on duty at the public utilities, greeted me with a warm smile. Smiling back, I folded my gloved hands in a namaste. Happy faces are infectious. It was my turn to smile warmly at Raj and Aashima walking beside me. They reciprocated with a wave and a cheery “Good morning”. Encouraged, I greeted a young woman taking a break from her run. She looked around to check if it was meant for her, but she returned my smile.Folks, how about spreading some sunshine in the peak of winter? How about improving India’s 118th position in the World Happiness Report?Back to my mid-morning walk, I continued my smile experiment with fellow walkers. Reaction one: a smiling stranger made the recipient uncomfortable. Reaction two: eyebrows shot up and people looked away or down. Reaction three: acknowledging someone from the opposite sex either fetched a happy smile or a shocked look, as if hoping no one else had noticed. Reaction four: though most people thought I was odd, some were genuinely happy to smile their chill away. That put a spring in my step and a song on my lips: “And when you smile for me, the world seems so right…”The next morning, pushing my quilt away, I ventured out again. Seeing a little boy struggling with his bicycle chain, I stopped to help him. The shy, hesitant smile that came my way was truly special. For many, even that simple expression of joy seems difficult. I then waved at a tiny girl perched happily in her father’s lap. She smiled, her father smiled, and so did the rest of the family.If a smirk qualifies as a smile, I spotted that too on the face of a man placing himself strategically on the same bench as two lovebirds. Watching selfie enthusiasts beam at their phones, I recalled something I had read: “Kitne ajeeb hain hum log, haqeeqat mein kam aur tasveer mein zyaada muskurate hain.” We are strange. We smile more in pictures than in real life.The magic of a simple smile was my takeaway from Japan during a visit in 2002. At a busy intersection, some young women bent forward, smiled and greeted me with Konnichiwa. Confused, I looked around until someone gently informed me that the greeting was meant for me. I quickly responded. Life became smoother when I mastered Konnichiwa in Japan, Hola and Gracias in Spain, Bonjour in France, and a warm “Hello” everywhere else. A video showing the doors of a shop in Copenhagen opening only for a smiling face has been doing the rounds lately.Story continues below this adMy second experiment was much to the annoyance of my back. I began picking up empty bottles and wrappers during my walk and putting them into the bins placed along the track. Expecting someone to join me in this swachhta abhiyan was perhaps too much to hope for. I was met with bewildered looks. Some shook their heads at the general lack of civic sense. Some applauded and even made videos. But no one joined in.Still, I received my fair share of smiles and laughter. Gracias.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd