Just Say Hello

A few weeks ago, I was visiting Emily in Chicago, pretending to live the city life. I was so happy - we took the bus and the train and cabs all day. And yet, as we wandered through the forest made up of bricks and windows and street lights, I noticed that we all seem to be scared of each other. No one made eye contact. No one said hello. No one acknowledged the homeless veteran asking for a sandwich, or even thought about acknowledging the man talking to himself on the train.

Flash forward to last weekend. My mom came to visit me, so we drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park to hike and just be in the wilderness. Every person we passed on the trails smiled, said hello, and asked how we were doing. It was really nice to be acknowledge, and we even ended up making a few friends. 

I was so struck by the stark contrast between the two.

I think there is a lesson to be learned from the friendly hikers on the trail. When we disconnect from the busy and from our technology, we can begin to see and acknowledge one another. We can begin to see that really, we're all just souls searching for happiness, and hoping we will find love and companions along the way. If we just say hello, we let people know that they are someone worth acknowledging. 

Instead of complaining about our disconnected, technological world, it's time we do something about it. I believe that small acts of kindness can change the world. So this week as I wander the halls of the office, and the streets of Denver, I will be putting down my phone and sharing the simple kindness of "hello," with a smile. Will you join me?