How little it takes to provide some relief from loneliness at Christmas.

Some food for thought for the festive season inspired by 'The Smile' by visionary English poet, William Blake...

“It’ll be lonely this Christmas,” sings Mud, just one of the endless Christmas songs squatting in my head over the last few weeks.

For many people, of course, this is true. Loneliness peaks at the festive season for people whose families live far away or who have lost loved ones. Christmas and loss are inexorably linked. Many of the Christmas stories we read are about regret or grief in some way.

It's often overlooked how much of a difference small actions can make in reducing loneliness. And the best part? We all have the power to do them. Loneliness may seem like a daunting problem that requires big, expensive solutions. But in reality, if each of us contributes a little, the impact can be truly transformative.

William Blake, the visionary English poet, is often eloquent on the transformative nature of simplicity. In his poem The Smile, he reflects on the simple act of smiling. What a smile can reveal about us and how a smile can transform our aspect and bearing, how it can perhaps even alter our spiritual experience.

That betwixt the Cradle & Grave / It only once Smild can be

But when it once is Smild / Theres an end to all Misery

A smile is a glimpse of joy and the contentedness which rests at the heart of all our experiences. To smile is to tap into that for a moment. Perhaps to share it with another.

Research shows that the simple act of smiling can reduce loneliness. Smiling releases neuropeptides that, in turn, fire up endorphins, which make us feel better, reduce stress, and help us feel relaxed. So, making people smile can influence how they feel.

Have you ever considered the ripple effect of making people smile? If you were to try today, how many people do you think you could bring a smile to? 5, 10, 25, 50? Imagine if everyone reading this could make just 5 people smile today. The collective positive energy we would generate would be immense. And if we continued to spread smiles throughout the festive season, the number of smiles we could create would be truly staggering.

A smile at the right time can change how people feel about themselves and their community. Imagine a woman walking through her neighbourhood. She is spending Christmas alone. She is walking with heavy shopping bags. She is thinking about her children and grandchildren who live in the UK. She walks through the streets, and not one person looks at her.

Now imagine the same scenario, but this time, as she walks through the streets, all the people that pass her smile and say, “Merry Christmas.” In the first scenario, she would feel like an outcast in an indifferent, perhaps even hostile, world. In the second, there is more chance that she would feel a sense of belonging, like people cared for, even if she doesn’t know them. Loneliness is a feeling we get about how connected we are. If we feel we are wanted or belong, we are automatically less lonely. A simple smile can be a powerful way to help people feel less alone.

So, may I ask you today to reflect on how you could make a few other people smile as you go about your day? Here are some suggestions...

• Smile at them – smiling is contagious and is the surest way of creating a smile in another person

• Wish someone Merry Christmas

• Buy them something small – a chocolate or a coffee

• Pay them a compliment

• Ask them a question about themselves

• Sing a song

• Tell a joke

• Read a poem

And remember to smile yourself. We must smile, even amidst the chaos and suffering in the world. The darker it is, the more intensely it must hold onto the light.

Merry Christmas to you. I hope to see you soon.

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You can read William Blake's poem 'The Smile' online here

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