Sometimes, when people gave me a long face, I took it personally—almost like my face somehow didn’t sit right with them or that they were simply unfriendly.
In Egypt, especially for workers, wages are very low, working conditions are tough, and prices are sky-high. So, it’s common to find workers weighed down with sadness and exhaustion. Just one look into someone’s eyes tells you how deep their struggles run; they’re likely wondering how they’ll make it to the end of the month.
Amid all this hardship, it never ceases to amaze me how a small, genuine compliment can instantly transform their expressions. I make it a point to find something I genuinely like about them, or their work, or the way they do it—and it completely lifts their spirits.
The smile I see on someone’s face after I give a sincere compliment is priceless. Honestly, it brightens my day just as much as it does theirs.
I used to think tipping was the best way to make someone happy, but it rarely had that effect. I assumed that money was what they needed most, yet what really matters is feeling that someone genuinely cares about them and values what they do.
This habit has become part of who I am. Just a few minutes ago, I was eating at a small food cart and complimented them on how delicious the falafel was. They stopped what they were doing, looked at me with wide smiles, and gave me their full attention.
They thanked me sincerely, and I walked away feeling even happier than they did. Experiences like this inspired me to write this piece and share a simple truth: if you have the power to make someone’s day better and choose not to, I’d love to understand why.
I’ve even come up with a golden rule: “Tipping is optional, but treating people with absolute kindness is mandatory.”