Smile please.

In the heart of a bustling city, where the skyscrapers reached for the heavens and the streets echoed with the hurried footsteps of people lost in their own worlds, there lived a man named Richard. Richard was a diligent worker, a middle-aged soul who had surrendered his days and nights to the relentless demands of his job. His face, once filled with warmth and laughter, had now become a canvas painted with exhaustion and sorrow.

One chilly evening, as Richard trudged through the crowded streets on his way home, his eyes caught sight of a small, smiling face amidst the chaos. A little girl, no older than seven, sat on a worn-out blanket with a faded sign that read, "Help make me smile." Her eyes sparkled with an innocence that seemed untouched by the hardships of life, and her smile radiated a pure joy that Richard hadn't seen in ages.

As Richard approached, the little girl looked up at him with eyes that seemed to see right through the layers of fatigue enveloping his soul. She extended a tiny hand, her smile unwavering.

"Hello, sir! Would you like to help make me smile?" she chirped.

Richard, taken back by the unexpected encounter, managed a half-hearted smile and continued walking. The girl, however, persisted.

"You know, sir, smiles are like magic. They make everything feel better. I've been smiling all day, and it's been wonderful. Do you want to try?"

Richard couldn't help but pause. He glanced at the girl, her eyes filled with an earnestness that touched a chord within him. It was as if she held a key to a door he had long forgotten. The weight of his responsibilities and the burden of his own sadness suddenly became more palpable.

"I used to make people smile," he muttered, more to himself than to the little girl.

The child's eyes widened in curiosity. "Really? That's amazing! Why did you stop?"

"I guess life got too busy. Work, stress, deadlines... I forgot about the joy of making others happy," Richard confessed, his voice tinged with regret.

The little girl tilted her head, her smile still firmly in place. "Well, it's never too late to start again. You can make me smile right now!"

Richard couldn't help but chuckle at the innocence and wisdom wrapped up in this small package. He decided to play along, trying to create a smile. To his surprise, it felt good—a small, genuine moment of happiness in the midst of his mundane routine.

The little girl clapped her hands, her eyes twinkling. "See? It's not that hard! Now, go out there and make someone else smile. It's like planting seeds of joy, and they grow and spread."

Inspired by the encounter, Richard carried that warmth with him as he continued his journey home. The weight on his shoulders felt a bit lighter, and he made a mental note to reconnect with the simple joy of bringing happiness to others.

From that day forward, Richard made a conscious effort to share a smile, a kind word, or a gesture of goodwill with those around him. Slowly, the warmth returned to his face, and the heaviness in his heart began to lift. The little girl's lesson had not only reminded him of the importance of spreading joy but also rekindled a spark within him that had been dimmed by the shadows of routine.

As the city continued its relentless rhythm, Richard became a beacon of kindness, and the smiles he shared became a ripple that touched the lives of many. And somewhere in the city, that little girl continued to sit with her sign, a testament to the power of a simple smile.