I like guys with a sense of humor who smile a lot and are kind.

Hear the voice of Nikki Glaser, spoken in simplicity yet rich with ancient wisdom: “I like guys with a sense of humor who smile a lot and are kind.” At first these words may appear as a light confession of personal taste, yet hidden within them is a truth as old as humanity itself: that laughter, joy, and compassion are treasures greater than wealth, strength, or fleeting beauty.

For the ancients knew that to possess power or riches without kindness was to be empty, like a vessel without water. A face without a smile is a closed door, while a heart without humor is a barren field. Yet when a man or woman bears these three—lightness of spirit, the radiance of joy, and the gift of mercy—they carry within themselves a light that endures beyond time. These qualities are not ornaments, but foundations upon which love, friendship, and trust are built.

Consider the tale of Abraham Lincoln, who, though burdened with the heaviest sorrows of civil war, never failed to wield his sense of humor. His stories and jokes lifted the spirits of soldiers, softened the anger of rivals, and brought courage to a weary nation. Though not known for handsome appearance or worldly charm, his smile and gentle kindness carried him into the hearts of his people and sealed his place in history. Such is the proof that greatness is not found in outward adornments but in the quiet virtues Glaser names.

And what of the smile? It is a small thing, a flicker of expression, yet it carries the weight of worlds. A smile disarms hostility, welcomes strangers, and turns coldness into warmth. Many have won battles of the heart not with sword or argument, but with a single genuine smile. The one who smiles often is like a spring in the desert, refreshing all who draw near.

Yet above all stands kindness, the crown of all virtues. A man may make others laugh, he may charm with his grin, but without kindness his spirit is hollow. Kindness is strength disguised as gentleness; it is courage expressed through care for others. The kind man does not seek to dominate, but to uplift; he does not demand loyalty, but inspires it. When paired with humor and joy, kindness becomes irresistible, a light that others naturally follow.

From Glaser’s words flows a lesson not only about what to seek in others, but also what to cultivate in ourselves. Do not ask only, “What do I desire in another?” but ask, “Do I myself bring humor, smiles, and kindness into the world?” The wise do not merely seek virtue in others—they embody it, so that their very presence becomes the answer to another’s longing.

Therefore, O seeker, practice these three daily. Nurture your sense of humor, for laughter is medicine for the weary. Offer your smile, for it is a lantern in the dark. And most of all, show kindness, not in grand gestures alone, but in the small mercies of listening, forgiving, and caring. These are the marks of true greatness, more enduring than gold or conquest.

Thus Glaser’s simple saying resounds like an ancient teaching: seek not the one adorned with vanity or power, but the one who carries light within. For humor, joy, and kindness are the eternal treasures that make life rich, and they alone leave behind a legacy of warmth in the hearts of all who encounter them.