Not long ago, I leaned a lesson about judging other people, and the powerful effect of a smile.

It had been a long day. I’d been up since 2:30 A.M., and I was just rolling to a stop at the light next to a line of cars. I chanced to look at the car next to me, and looked right into the innocent face of a beautiful little girl about three or four years of age. To my surprise she smiled at me – a gorgeous wide toothy smile. It was so irresistible that I smiled back. And then, to my total amazement, she blew me a kiss!

Now you have to understand, I didn’t know this little girl, or her mother who was driving the car. And there I was driving an old beat up mustard yellow pickup that had long ago seen better days. My clothes were filthy; my hair was a mop; I had on dark sunglasses, and sat with one arm propped out the window with a sour expression on my face – and she blows me a kiss?

I was so startled I looked away. As the light changed and the cars began to move, I chanced one more peek at my new friend, and sure enough there she was still looking right at me, and in a kind of a shy little girl way, she was still smiling the same beautiful smile. Oh, she melted my heart.

I drove away from that stoplight with a different attitude. She changed my day entirely. She warmed my heart and cheered my soul.

You know, if I could only keep that day in my memory, and follow that little girls example, so that I would reframe from judging people by how they appear, and love them for what they are, and like her, so warmly let them know it.

Little girl, wherever you are, who ever you are, thanks again for brightening my day, and being my teacher.