Tagged for Love

Posted by Suman Bharti on Jun 30, 2014

[Originally Posted by Suman Bharti]

As long as I remember, I have been a person who is hesitant of sharing my inner being to anyone known, not to mention about strangers. I have always kept my words and feelings to myself. But lately I was introduced to servicespace and the awakin circle. This space summoned in me the courage to be vocal about my thoughts but there still remained my inhibitions of carrying out conversations with complete strangers. So I decide to do an activity that will make me share myself with strangers in terms of my love and feelings. Thus I decided to handout smile cards to strangers and give them a hug if I feel they need a sprinkle of love at that moment.



Since it was random I myself was uncertain of its initiation. But within two days I got the chance. So my experiment started with a girl in the metro, who seemed upset. I approached her with an eagerness of tagging her with a smile card. Hence the idea was to hand her card a second prior to me getting down, in order to keep my anonymity attached. It took me few minutes to decide wither I want go ahead but while my brain was chalking down the plan, the girl broke down in tears. Hence her tears made me hug her right there, while I tagged her with a handmade heart and a smile card.

Throughout the journey I patiently heard her sharing about her life experiences, with her often reminders that she was not use to crying in public. I kept smiling and departed with a hug. On my way to home, I was trying to comprehend what had just happened I was not able to believe I have hugged and shared my feeling with a stranger in full public view. I was thinking how I can do this when I never had the courage to do this earlier. Further neither had we exchanged contact details nor names. According to the formal terms we shared no signs of familiarity but deep down we were connected by heart. I was happy that now I had overcome my limitation of sharing but I needed to practice it more to get into my reflex.



Hence passing smiling cards to stranger was my new found hobby. The experiment to some appeared suspicious, for some it was humbling and for many it left them with question like “what are we supposed to do with this card?” To which I replied “tag further to someone you feel requires it the most”. Lately I came across Poonam , 5months pregnant, and had recently taken the courageous decision to abandon both maternal and parenteral home due to the constant physical and mental abuse she had been undergoing for years. My conversation with her was unexpected and overwhelming at the same time. A conversation which seemed to last less than a minute, prolonged for hours. During the course of our departure, I left Poonam with my contact number and a smile card. Her initial glance at it was that of suspicion but I remember her holding on to that card, as her departed words to me were “tum kyu aie thi?” to which I smiled again and bid her goodbye.

My belief in love and the healing nature of embracement grew stronger with every passing day. Soon I realized that ripples of the smile journey was not just affecting the people around me but as intended was changing the inner me. It introduced me to the idea of “Universal Love”, love that each person is, has and will receive, is to send to them from various unknown faces all-round the globe and our immediate ones just happen to be a medium of channelizing that love. Reflecting upon the recent fold of events, what struck me is that love with its various forms has the capacity and the capability to not only change the people around you but also change the person within you. It heals both you and others. It made me realize how little and much could a person act affect a person and that every being on this globe is lovable reminding me of a quote by Swami Vivekananda

                “Human being is divine by nature”  


Never in my life had I felt so alive and grateful for everything around me. These uncertainties have not only made me realize the power and simplicity of love. Now this is not a mere challenge that ends by the time I write this document but now it is way beyond that and I am practicing it every now and then.
Thank you!

Posted by Suman Bharti on Jun 30, 2014 | permalink


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Previous Comments
  • Aparna wrote ...

    Beautiful! Has inspired me to follow your way, Suman! Reminds me of my favourite quote by Mother Teresa - We cannot do great things but we can all do small things with great love! Love and hugs to you :) Shine on! :)

  • Shivaranjan wrote ...

    Beautiful !! Yes, we can do small things and big things with LOVE, and HUGS too....People tend to forget what is Love and the impact of a Hug !!

  • shashi shekhar wrote ...

    So simple but incredible!! Every time I read it I get some new insight from it. The act is so small but powerful that it definitely leaves a deep impact.It never came in my mind that smile cards can be used in this way too. As giving ear to someone story is also an act of kindness and Suman realized it very well.Trust me out of my little experience I can say,sharing is the key to most of the challenges that we face today and can be in form of a simple smile or hug. Happy to have you in our family Suman :) Happy sharing :)

  • kavita aunty wrote ...

    the ripples are being felt here in europe too. god bless you!