Hello

Yesterday I stepped out to take my dog for a walk and came across a mom with a baby in a stroller and a young son next to her on a scooter.  Without reservation he called out, “Hello, Girl!! Hello!!”.  Coming from a young child this ‘girl’ didn’t carry the slant and sass that the word sometimes does.  I didn’t see another soul in the street and knew it was for me though I am a woman in her late thirties. To the mom I expressed how nice it was to be addressed in this friendly way.  The boy wasted not a moment more knowing that he had the power to make someone happy with this greeting.  He called it out again excitedly, “Hello, Girl! Hello, Girl! Hello, Girl! Hello! Helloooooooooo!”.

Reflecting on this, I appreciate how willing he was to do something that he knew another person liked.  I also appreciate how he didn’t hesitate to offer the greeting and how he didn’t question doing it again and again later.  This child did what came to him in the moment and he didn’t make judgements about how it sounded or what anyone thought once he could see and feel happiness in the action.  This child hasn’t yet learned the behavior of shutting himself down by caring too much about what others think of him or letting his mind tell him the 33 reasons he shouldn’t do a thing, which can drain you of your happiness and maybe others of theirs too!

I hope you will greet those you encounter this weekend with happiness and that you will do it with enthusiasm.  It may require that we all get out of our minds and into the present moment more without judgements, but perhaps this is just what we need!  Good luck with greetings and sharing as many happy hellos as you can this weekend!