I was going through a very rough patch in my teens that felt inescapable, included feeling socially isolated. Anyway, one day I was walking down through the city Center with my head down, as usual. A really confident and attractive woman coming towards me stopped briefly and made a point of facing me directly. She had a beaming smile and said “Hi, you have a really nice smile”. She said it assertively and then moved on.

I felt human again and I’ve never forgotten the impact a complete stranger can have in just a brief moment. I try to be that person for others now.