My baby girl says, “Hieee” to everyone she meets.
When we’re out and about, she flashes her 8 pearly whites and insists that every passers-by return her enthusiastic, “hieee!” Sometimes people are intrigued and engage in conversation. Other times they appear shy, or even uncomfortable, and try to avoid eye contact. But nothing deters my baby girl; she’s this unstoppable bundle of friendliness.
So this got me thinking, “What makes people suspicious of friendliness?” And do I have the guts to say “hello” to everyone I meet?
Now, I grew up in a small, hi-saying town in Africa, where people loved greeting each other with handshakes, fist bumps, hugs, kisses, hi-fives, or jolly “hellos.” In fact, it was considered rude to ignore a passer-by; you were deemed arrogant or a show-off.
Fast forward several years and I found myself living in North America, where people were generally more reserved and prided their personal space. Influenced by my environment, I too began to cling to my little cocoon of personal space. I assumed that being dependent on people was a sign of weakness, forgetting that real power exists in interdependence and shared experiences, whether joyful or sad.
So my question is this: What happens between childhood and adulthood that causes people to lose their innocent and unconditional fascination with humanity? After all, children are the same everywhere: friendly, loving, innocent, and unassuming.
My daughter has taught me that engaging people on any level, even with a simple “hieee” can significantly impact our emotional psyche. It can shake us out of the nadir of routine into a connected world of new relationships and limitless possibilities. I mean, this 2-foot toddler was interacting and having fun with folks 3 times her size! She greeted everyone, regardless of their mood, age, race, or gender.
My takeaway from this experience is: don’t wait to be greeted. And if no one greets you back, don’t be offended. Be the first to channel that hello, you never know what awesome personalities you could discover in the process.
Do you say “hi” to complete strangers? If not, what holds you back?
- The Right Amount of Friendly… (tracielouisephotography.net)
Copyright © 2012 Uwana.