Member-only story
The customers at my first job at Kmart complained about me not being friendly.
I was going to school full time while working two jobs. I had zero appetite for smiling at customers. Apparently it showed.
But I couldn’t afford to lose my job yet so I decided to give this fake enthusiasm a try.
I began watching the other employees to learn from them. There was one particular lady who was always smiling. She was bubbling with energy regardless the time of day. I noticed that she was happy interacting with the customers while I struggled even to fake it.
One evening at a break, the two of us started chatting. I realized that she was a genuinely nice person.
Suddenly she asked me — Why are you so sad?
That question took me by surprise.
I didn’t think I was so obviously sad… Was I?
I couldn’t answer her question.
Instead, I asked her — Why are you so happy?
She answered without hesitation. — Because I am divorced.
Coming from a place where divorce was taboo and rarely publicly admitted, especially by a woman, I was surprised. At first I thought she was kidding. But her expression was dead serious.
I have never forgotten those words.
How bad could marriage be if divorce can have such a profound effect on happiness?
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