.

I think we all have people that make Life better with small talk.

Each week, I have to go to our office to work for one day. I really can’t complain, because that means carrying my laptop and lunch bag just a three minutes walk away from home.

Just like any other working day, I impatiently wait for the end of my shift, but not only to return home. No, I know that on my way out of the building, I’ll stop at the security gate, and have a chat with the evening-shift guard, Monsieur Jean-Paul.

Monsieur Jean-Paul is from Haïti, and has quite an imposing silhouette, almost John Coffey-esque. We got along well since he got hired to serve and protect us (from what? I have no clue, but noone ever got harmed since he’s been working with us, so I’m guessing he’s really good LOL).

Every week, I stop on my way out, and take time to talk a little. We catch up on each other’s past week, and whatever is going on in the world. So, if you haven’t been living under a rock, our discussions usually have to do with tragic events here and abroad.

But at all times, Monsieur Jean-Paul wears a warm comforting bright-white teeth smile, contrasting with his beautiful deep dark skin complexion.

This week, I couldn’t help telling him…

-Me: And still, you’re always all-smiles!

-Him: We don’t have a choice, do we?

-Me: We always have a choice… And that’s what makes your smile so special. You choose to give it, despite everything going wrong in this world…

I hope Monsieur Jean-Paul understood what a deeply beautiful person he was, even if he might remain unknown to a great part of the world for the rest of his life. Because he does a great thing on a little scale, but on a regular basis. And he does contaminate me with his big Haïtian guy’s smile every Wednesday, even if my week has been shitty.

And I love that. Who wouldn’t, right?