Back to Basics

Here it is. The debut post for the new "One Thing a Week" series in which I plan to offer suggestions for simplifying life in order to slow down, reconnect with Nature, and live in a way that is in better harmony with our surroundings. It wasn't easy to pick the first tip, but I had to start somewhere.

And the winner is...

Smile and Say "Hello"

I'm an adult now; I can talk to strangers. I can offer them the benefit of the doubt and assume they are not going to hurt me because, having lost childhood naivety, I am armed with enough good sense to know when danger is present. Since it's very likely that the people I pass also prefer kindness and grace, I resolve to be the one brave enough to say hi first. And who knows, this simple act might make someone stranger's day.

Now of course there are some parts of the U.S. that don't need this tip so much; saying hello is already the norm. But the place where I live is sandwiched between New York City and Washington D.C., and the people here tend to keep their noses down, mind their own business, and hurry up. Greeting strangers is not a priority.

Admittedly, there are many places where it is just too crowded to greet everyone. However, my immediate neighborhood remains rather quaint. When I walk down the street, the strangers who drive past will at least will lift a few fingers off the steering wheel and nod with a smile. They've found a way to hold on to their cherished privacy without forgotting what it means to be friendly, and it makes it feel like home.

There is just something special about a stranger's acknowledgement that you and they have crossed paths, even if just for a fleeting moment. Without intention, it says "hey were all in this together so we might as well smile and enjoy each other's company."

In some cases, "hello" can be an important matter of homeland security. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, leaders told us to watch for strangers in our hometowns. I didn't like being asked to suspect my neighbors, but I understood the reason for the instruction. But how was I to know if anything or anyone was strange in this world of privacy and isolation? Even then, since I've been wrong about people I thought I knew plenty of times before, I scrapped the whole idea of vigilance and suspicion. I went back to following my instinct, letting go of apprehension, and addressing people as I liked to be addressed. In the end, I felt my community would be safer from terrorism that way anyhow.

There will always be strangers out there who are evil. But I'm not one of them. You're probably not too. And no matter where you live, most of the people you come in contact with are starving for kindness and a sense of belonging. So take the first simple step: be the one to smile and say "hello."