Aimilianos of Simonopetra quotes

You who approach your brother, you who are a husband or a wife, when you approach your wife or husband, you who are a father or a mother, when you approach your child, whatever you say, whatever you are thinking to say, say it after you first say a few words that will make him happy, will give him some consolation, a breath of fresh air. Make him say ‘I feel better, I feel happier!' Approach people in a way that makes them feel proud of you, love you, feel ecstatic when they see you. Because all people in their lives, in their homes, in their bodies, in their souls, have pain, sicknesses, difficulties, hardships; and each of them hide their pain inside their secret ‘basket', inside their heart, inside their home, so that others are not aware of it. So, I don't know your pain and you don't know my pain. I may be laughing and shout, in order to cover my sorrow. For this reason, give a smile to the other person first.