According to Wikipedia, "A smile is a facial expression formed by flexing the muscles near both ends of the mouth and by flexing muscles throughout the mouth". Among humans, it is an expression deonting pleasure, sociability, happiness, or amusement. Smiling is something that is understood by everyone, regardless of culture, race, or religion; a Cross-cultural study has shown that smiling is a means of communication throughout the world.

For me personally, I can say the key to most Malaysia heart is through your simple smila. The first time I shared this idea with my international friends; they all laughed and argued that my opinion is simply ridiculous. Perhaps because they underestimated the power of human smile, I could also recall few years ago when I was a fresh man in my universitiy and new in the country, my local friends frequently asked me if I was laright whenever they noticed I was not smiling. To most of them, by not smiling it simply means maybe something is disturbing me. During that time, I didn't understand the importance of smiling. But as time went by, I began to understand why I needed to smile despite the situation or how I really felt at a particular time, because a simple smile could change everything and open up many opportunites. It could also make our living more interesting and fun in our host country Malaysia.

For the past 5 years till date, I have come to realize that through simple smila I have met many strangers that have metamorphosed to life time friends. Through this journey I understood that smile is a small element of life yet strong enough to open many doors. Starting frim friends, smila has proven to be powerful in bridging cultural barriers for me. By pulling a simple smile, you are simply inviting people into you life. Many people feel more comfortable to talk to you when you smile. It also gives them sense of confidence and trust in you even though they are just meeting you for the first time.

Smile is the light that every human being possesses; the creator has blessed us with it, when someone smiles it feels like the reflection of light, just like the sun lights up the day. I have a close friend who smiles a lot that someone once asked him "is that yor parents send you pocket money every week?” and this friend of mine replied with an Arabic Phase which says "eedhak tadhak al duniya" which literally means smile to the world and the world will smile back at you.

I can sum up that my whole study life becase easy after understanding the power behind smile; a smile to my lectureres is a simple gesture which always creates the basic platform for mutual understanding between me and them thereby giving me the opportunity to approach them whenever I have any questions about my studyies. Few months ago I attended a scholarship interview, while I was boarding the elevator; a lady came into the elevator and boarded with me. I smiled at her and she smiled back. I then asked which floor she was going and she replied "4th". I pressed the button for her. She thanked me and I proceeded to my interview room. I waited thirty minutes and when it was my turn, I was surprsied to see the same lady in the elvator among the three people to interview me. I don't have to tell you about what happeded in the interview, but she made my interview easy and entertaining.

Everything just went perfectly smooth for that day. This is just one of many instances of what a simple gesture can do to someone's life, with my simple smile, positive result yielded.

So my dear friends, next time you meet someone, be it in a classroom, in the elevator, at shopping mall or bus station; smile at them when you can. As my mentor Professor Abdulkarim Sabo MOhammed said in one of his lectures, "who knows? The chap who loked so intimidating might be as gengle as a Koala, and that girl who seemed to be indifferent, was always interested in you!" Your simple smile can change everything.

SANI MOHAMMED YAU
Faculty of Engineering, UPM

Date of Input: 31/07/2019 | Updated: 15/10/2019 | azimin