The best compliment that I can receive or give to a stranger. It speaks louder than any comment I can possibly muster out while walking past someone on the street or looking up to find myself making eye contact with someone at another table across the restaurant. The gentle lifting of the corners of a person’s mouth bringing the eyes to squint ever so slightly can melt away any walls and defenses I have put up to create a sanctuary for my sanity. It allows me to respond without pretention but with true compassion and connection for as least a brief moment. The feeling is that I am validated as one who is worth the effort of a smile.