The beauty of humanity

Kathmandu, Nepal. In dust, smog and relentless midday sun a father carries his small girl on his arms. For the 5 minutes I walk behind them she smiles at me over his shoulder. Her smile is gorgeous, full of love, compassion, innocent curiosity and the excitement of an unlived life. When the two turn into a side street I carry her smile for the rest of the day.

I cry in my car. The girl in the car right next to me at the traffic light waves and her lips form silently the words: ‘Everything will be okay’. I stop crying.

San José, Costa Rica. An old woman walks her two dogs. She stops and bends over for every piece of plastic, no matter how small, and carries it to the next bin. One side of her body is paralyzed and she is dragging her foot. Every step and every stooping takes strength, but she smiles.

An old couple sits at a restaurant at the main market place. He puts a strand of hair behind her ears and smiles at her. She smiles back and puts her hand on his cheek. No words need here.

Kalahari desert, Namibia. We stop at the fuel station and a little girl comes closer. Her skin, dark as the velvet sky in a moonless night, is just perfect. She looks at me with big brown eyes and pulls on my arm. I bend over and she touches my hair, fascinated by the color. After a few seconds she suddenly plugs out a few hairs and runs away, laughing loud and full of joy.

Five men are sitting in a cafe at the window. When my girls and me walk by their heads just turn while we pass. Our steps get lighter and our smiles brighter.

Berlin, Germany. Thousands of people are demonstrating against coal-fired energy in front of the parliament. The vibe gets more agitated and aggressive with every second. The situation escalates. A girl gets knocked over by one of her buddies. A policemen pulls her back on her feet in the chaos of the demonstration and safes her live.

The woman at the counter in the supermarket looks like she really hates her work. I smile at her and admire her face. I tell her and the expression on her face rewards me for my openness. As I leave she’s welcoming the next customer with a smile.

Sydney, Australia. A young woman, beautiful and well dressed, tears in the wrinkles of her eyes stands at the street. She’s looking lost. A men, fascinated by her beauty, walks by. ‘You look very beautiful today’, he says with a bright smile and goes on. He body posture changes, chin goes up, spine straightens, she takes a deep breath and starts to move.

Traffic light situation. Three boys are going completely crazy to their music in the car. I grin and turn up my music.

Yelapa, Mexico. We dance, we drink, we party, we celebrate the music and our lives. Out of sudden one after the other leaves the dance floor and we find ourselves collecting garbage at the beach.

I cross the street. A boy walks by me, smiling at the world. His whole vibe is so positive, so nice and kind that I can’t take my eyes off him until he disappears behind the next corner.

Gahchok, Nepal. We arrive with a truck of wood. Without a single word the whole neighborhood gathers and even the smallest children carry a piece of wood to our construction place.

You’re not changing the world but you might change somebody’s world.

Be kind.

Be compassionate.

Be loving.

Be human.