Natural Birth

This morning during just a short 10 minute walk I saw three pregnant ladies. Whenever I see a pregnant lady I can't help but smile at them, it comes from knowing the amazing journey they're on and what's to come. But I then wondered what it must be like for them being faced with multiple goofy grins as they walk along every day! I remember when I was pregnant that I actually liked it. I worked in London and absolutely nobody even makes eye contact, let alone talks to anyone and especially on the tube (the official approach being that you hide behind your copy of The Metro and never ever look up). But being pregnant opened people up to me, I started to have conversations with people I had seen every day for the last few years and suddenly the fact that I was pregnant gave them a feeling that they could connect with me. Suddenly the faces of strangers around me became real people, with real lives, families and stories to share.

It's a shame that we don't smile at everyone as we go about our daily lives, everyone is on their own amazing journey whether they are pregnant or not so I shall be making a concerted effort at this special time of year to connect with the people around me and spread a little warmth.

Thinking of this then reminded me of story I heard about a man who was severely depressed. A lot had gone wrong for him in his life and he had decided to go for a more permanent solution and to end it all. He got in to his car and was driving to a nearby cliff to jump from. As he drove along he came to some traffic lights. He stopped at the red light and looked across to the car next to him. The lady in the next car smiled a warm smile to the man. The man considered that the world can't be that bad a place if he can have a smile like that from a stranger. He chose at that moment to continue with his life and resolve the problems he was having in a different way. I bet he always smiles to people at red lights now.

Perhaps if everyone who reads this blog post could smile at just one person, that smile and warmth might travel far and wide and be passed on to people who really need it.