“I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile. Then walk into a pole”

“I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile. Then walk into a pole” is a jocular social media saying that has been printed on many images. The ssaying was posted on X/Twitter by Jan·da·līze ☆ on October 30, 2012.
 
“Be the reason someone smiles today. Or blocks you. Whatever” is a related saying. Other related sayings—without “smile”—include “Be the reason why someone closes this app,” “Be the reason why someone gets mad over a fucking meme,” “Be the reason why someone has to take a break from social media” and “Be the reason why someone makes their account private.”
         
     
Know Your Meme
Be the Reason Why Someone X
(...)       
Origin
In February 2016, writer Roy T. Bennett published the self-help book The Light in the Heart. In the book, the line “Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people” appears.
 
The quote, usually altered to “Be the reason someone smiles today” appeared in various inspirational image macros in the late 2010s (examples shown below).
 
X/Twitter
Jan·da·līze ☆
@Jandalize
I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile.
Then walk into a pole.
7:27 PM · Oct 30, 2012
   
Facebook
Sheila Whitley Hathaway
October 31, 2012 at 1:17 AM ·
i want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile. then walk into a pole.
   
Facebook
Antione Wiseman
October 31, 2012 at 9:19 PM ·
I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile. Then walk into a pole.
 
X/Twitter
Aleshia S. Cowser
@aleshiasc
“I want to be the reason you look down at your phones & smile.. Then walk into a pole 😂😂 #RelationshipGoals #Love
(“I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile. Then walk into a pole” is shown on an image.—ed.)
4:54 PM · Jan 18, 2016
 
X/Twitter
Ţüŕņęŕ-§ąņ
@Timmy_485
I wanna be the reason u look down at ya phone and smile😊...........then walk into a pole 😋😋😋
1:47 PM · Sep 14, 2016
     
X/Twitter
LoveQuotes.me
@freshcutequotes
I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile. Then walk into a pole. #love
8:26 AM · Sep 2, 2017
 
X/Twitter
hey im treshawn and i be eating poptarts
@trethejumper
I want to be the reason why you look down at your phone, smile and then walk Into a pole
8:40 PM · Sep 2, 2017
 
X/Twitter
Gorgeous Girls Dating
@_topnotch909
I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile—and then walk into a pole ... Funny messed up dating humor. #Texting
3:33 PM · Mar 7, 2018
 
X/Twitter
ADN POETweets
@ADN_POETweets25
I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile.
Then walk into a pole…
#ALDUBHanggangSaDulo
ctto
(The saying is also shown on an image.—ed.)
12:33 PM · Sep 23, 2018 from Winnipeg, Manitoba
 
iFunny
noonoli72
20 apr 2023
I WANT TO BE THE REASON YOU LOOK DOWN AT YOUR PHONE AND SMILE. THEN WALK INTO A POLE.
 
X/Twitter
Bob Kostic
@causticbob
I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile.
Then walk into a pole.
5:53 PM · Jun 8, 2024