Friendliness is a lost virtue

I'm going on vacation in a few days and maybe because I'm about to leave my place of work, I have a bit more joy flowing through my veins.  There's just something about work that always strikes me as interesting.  The absolute lack of smiles during a workday.  You may not enjoy your workload that much, or perhaps you're not over friendly with your deskmate, but greeting people as you walk by them in the hallways with either a quaint hello or a smile is considered customary and friendly.  Why are we so against social interactions on this level? What are we afraid of? 

There is no harm in some friendliness amongst co-orkers, even if you don't know them by name, you do know them by face.  You see them everyday in the hallway, in the washrooms, in the kitchen area.  They aren't strangers and returning a smile does not cost you your identity.  Unless of course you want to be considered as the sour puss of the office.  Then you would certainly damage your reputation by smiling or saying even the faintest hello. 

I think that out of the 10 smiles and hellos I get when I meet someone in the hallway, I'm greeted with maybe 5 in return.  I think that is outrageous. 

I have a very dear friend who is the most outgoing and friendly person I have ever in my life had the pleasure of meeting and befriending.  She is a wonderful spirit and being around her makes me feel happy.  It wasn't until I met her that I realized that I was currently surrounded by a lot of negative people in my life.  You know which ones I'm talking about.  The ones that sucks the life out of you with their mere presence because they exude pessimism and negative aura.  I don't think I went out of my way to attract these people but my personality, as it was, made me want to help and fix these people.  I can't and neither do I want to.  I've come a long way through many adverseries and I will not let negative people suck my soul out any longer.  I decided when I met my positive and bubbly friend that enough was enough and I started to weed through my friend circle.  I'm not entirely proud of what I did and the ways that I accomplished my unfriending, but it did my life and soul wonders to be rid of those that are life-suckers. 

Don't get me wrong, I reach out to those who need help and to those who are in need of comfort I extend more than just a hand.  These are instances in someone's life that are not measured by their personality but by circumstance.  I will always support anyone going through a tough time, no matter who you are.  The difference is, I'm unwilling to support you if you do not first try and support yourself, if even just a little. 
So here I am, a handful of wonderful friends, an armload of acquaintances and a much better person for it. 

Smile people.  It's not going to kill you. It might even make you feel better, even for that split second that the corners of your mouth move upward.  Trust me on this.