The ancient Chinese were a wise lot-wise ithe ways of the world;and they had a proverb that you and I ought to cut out and paste inside our hats. It goes like this:‘A mawithout a smiling face must not opea shop. ’
nYour smile is a messenger of your good will. Your smile brightens the lives of all who see it. To someone who has seea dozepeople frown, scowl or turtheir faces away, your smile is like the subreaking through the clouds. Especially whethat someone is under pressure from his bosses, his customers, his teachers or parents or children, a smile cahelp him realise that all is not hopeless-that there is joy ithe world.
nSome years ago, a department store iNew York City, irecognitioof the pressures its sales clerks were under during the Christmas rush, presented the readers of its advertisements with the following homely philosophy:
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The Value of a Smile at Christmas
nIt costs nothing, but creates much.
nIt enriches those who receive, without impoverishing those who give. It happens ia flash and the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
nNone are so rich they caget along without it, and none so poor but are richer for its benefits.
nIt creates happiness ithe home, fosters good will ia business, and is the countersigof friends.
nIt is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and Nature’s best antidote for trouble.
nYet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is no earthly good to anybody till it is giveaway.
nAnd if ithe last minute rush of Christmas buying some of our salespeople should be too tired to give you a smile, may we ask you to leave one of yours?
nFor nobody needs a smile so much as those who have none left to give!
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