Have you smiled today?

Of course, this was not what I wanted to write about today. I’ve been sitting on a thought and decided against it. Then again, the question does , in parts, contribute towards that thought process. 

The question is rather simple . “Have you smiled today? “ 

The mileage in life, the way my brain is hardwired to think and the daily struggle I wage in order to beat that reflex thought process, it’s a battle worth fighting over. There are days when I win. There are days when I’m left to learn a new lesson.


While harmless, the question does throw a lot of questions which require a little thinking. Then again, if you aren’t are twisted as I am, these thoughts would have probably never hit you ever before. I have my reasons and those I really don’t fancy writing about. Let’s just call it the broken work in progress cycle of learning and unlearning 🙂

The cynic in me wonders about the nature of intent when I’m posted that question. Why would people really care if I did smile today indeed. A quick RCA later, and a prolonged conversation , most of the times does lead to the fact that I was standing on the verge of either meeting someone’s expectations or waiting to be offloaded a big pile of headache that I had to inherit. The general question has always been, do people really care selflessly about other people? 

While the obvious answer is a staggering YES, the finer question is, am I surrounded by such people. And I don’t have an answer for that on most days. It’s always a game of waiting and watching . Plots usually take time to unravel themselves. 


Once I’m done fighting against the natural cynic in me, I am left in awe and gratitude. There is a wonderful magic to being asked that question everyday. It does sound mundane, it does sound like a boring routine of sorts. It does also help us remind ourselves to shed a few worries by smiling through the day. And so, I ask you again, Have you smiled today ?


It takes me to this wonderful point in time. I was in London. Lost in thoughts about the bills to pay and banks serving me an overdraft. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bloke pulled up in front of me. I thought he wanted money from me. A quick quid is what I assumed. I was too polite to refuse, and I didn’t want to offend him by offering a buck. 

Excuse me, I pardoned myself. 

He smiled and pointed his finger towards a board that he was wearing around the neck. I bent a little to read the board. A shabby handwriting had left behind a lovely message.

“HAVE YOU SMILED TODAY”

I read it and smiled. The bloke left me with a hug. He vanished as abruptly as he had appeared a brief few moments ago. He had left me standing and smiling. 


Speaking of dreams and what if dreams may come true, I am living out a dream of sorts. Yeah, I am privy to it. Contrary to popular thoughts, the dream is a nightmare at times when the moments sublimate. I’m left with thoughts and opinions of the world around me. I meet a lot of expectations, I fall short on a lot of expectations, I am a lousy example, I am pretty much almost right. I represent something that a lot desire, I stand to personify a lot that people resent. I’m all of that and I’m none of that. 

I’m more of a figment of the imagination of the world around me. Each views me through the filters of bias that their minds conjure. Lost somewhere in that illusion of what I am , I do find the rarity of the question extremely satisfying. And so , off the blue, outta no where, that question pops up.

Are you ok? All good? Have you smiled today?


“It’s the weak who need a reminder. The strong only need an assurance from time to time” – Katz


The simplicity that is life, complicated by thoughts left through years of learning the dark side of the moon and an affinity to resist that unlearning. That sums up the circus we’ve all come to call as Life. 


Karthik