Emulate these children and improve life

THE EDITOR: There is a heart-warming video circulating on several chat groups showing small children approaching various adults sitting alone in coffee shops and restaurants and engaging them in friendly small talk.

It is well done and clearly illustrates the power of a friendly gesture to a stranger, which usually results in the kindness being returned in equal measure.

Encouraged by this video, I have been making a conscious effort to engage supermarket cashiers, bank tellers, fast food counter staff, vendors in the Beetham Market with generally good results.

Yes, if you show genuine interest in others most people will respond in kind, leading to small uplifting experiences.

The other aspect of living in a community-minded fashion is that if you practise it long enough, you get to know your local doubles man, supermarket cashier, roti shop owner, gas station attendant, etc, by name and vice versa.

This approach to life also leads to a positive transformation of your daily temperament, which is proven to have positive effects on your physical and mental health.

If a majority of us adopt this approach to everyday living we can only improve ourselves, our families, our communities and, by extension, our nation.

GREGORY WIGHT

via e-mail