Today is World Hello Day. Imagine that. What the heck is World Hello Day you might ask? Click here to find out. Think about it though -- how do you feel when a stranger walks by you, makes eye contact and says hello? It probably makes you feel pretty good. I grew up in southern California and people there shy away from making eye contact. It's not that they're rude; it's just a different way of life and people are less trusting. When I moved to Montana I was in culture shock. People made eye contact, they smiled and they said hello. When I drive down the street and see kids playing, they often stop to wave hello. And unlike CA, they're waving with all 5 fingers, not just one! I live on a private road with no outlet and everyone waves as they pass by. This isn't what I was used to. World Hello Day began as a response to the conflicts facing Egypt and Israel in 1973 and has been recognized by 180 countries. All you have to do is say hello to ten people. If you're out and about today, you can do that. So, I'd like to say HELLO to everyone reading this blog. I hope I get at least ten hellos back in replies. This won't solve the problems we face in the world today, but I imagine it would make people feel a little better. So -- hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello! And finally, if you would like a blast from the past type of hello, please click here.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Hello, hello!
Today is World Hello Day. Imagine that. What the heck is World Hello Day you might ask? Click here to find out. Think about it though -- how do you feel when a stranger walks by you, makes eye contact and says hello? It probably makes you feel pretty good. I grew up in southern California and people there shy away from making eye contact. It's not that they're rude; it's just a different way of life and people are less trusting. When I moved to Montana I was in culture shock. People made eye contact, they smiled and they said hello. When I drive down the street and see kids playing, they often stop to wave hello. And unlike CA, they're waving with all 5 fingers, not just one! I live on a private road with no outlet and everyone waves as they pass by. This isn't what I was used to. World Hello Day began as a response to the conflicts facing Egypt and Israel in 1973 and has been recognized by 180 countries. All you have to do is say hello to ten people. If you're out and about today, you can do that. So, I'd like to say HELLO to everyone reading this blog. I hope I get at least ten hellos back in replies. This won't solve the problems we face in the world today, but I imagine it would make people feel a little better. So -- hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello! And finally, if you would like a blast from the past type of hello, please click here.
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Hello!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of sad that a day has to be instituted just so people can show some friendliness to others, but on the other hand, it's a reality and at least it's not being forgotten and there's a fight to get some of that community spirit back into the world again.
My hubby and I joke that the non-waver would have made a good Seinfeld episode. We have some neighbors that we joke about as being the "non-wavers" ;0)
Happy World Hello day! :-)
Christy
This is a nice holiday. A lot of people here in Cheyenne say hello when eyes meet, but I wish more would do so.
ReplyDeleteHELLO!
Nancy
Hello, Rena!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the culture shock thing. I went through the same thing when we moved to Germany. EVERYONE there would look you in the eye and say "guten tag" (good day). Since then, I always say "hello" when I'm out and about. :D
Anita
Hello! (I have the Lionel Ritchie Hello song in my mind now..)
ReplyDeleteI'm so going to say hi to strangers today! I have already this morning at my son's Thanksgiving program!
Hello Rena! :) Such a happy day.
ReplyDeleteHiya Rena. Since it's "world hello day", why not try it in different languages - Bonjour, guten tag - sorry my languages fail me but that would seem more appropriate - many hellos in many languages -
ReplyDeleteI'm in a small town so there aren't too many strangers and I usually try to wave when I'm out or if in contact with other folks at least speak to them. My kids are always asking me if I know someone when I'm in the car and wave to passing cars - lol - I guess that's my upbringing more than anything - So hello to everyone out there - E :)
Hello Rena! We had a kid's song that starts, Hello, Bonjour, Buenos Dias...now I'll have that on my mind today!
ReplyDeleteWhen you're out walking the dog (or the kids) every day you tend to run into friendly people who say hello. It's the drivers who aren't as polite...
A few years ago we moved from the burbs of a larger city to a small town. We figured out right away that if we were going to fit in, we had to master the small town wave. At first we thought the people waving at us were people we knew and just didn't recognize right away:) Now we're in the know, and we initiate the wave almost all the time now.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it was already Nov 22 here in Oz before I read this, but hello anyway! It is always nice to get a friendly greeting from a stranger.
ReplyDeleteLionel Richie was the first thing I thought of when I read the title to your blog today - how behind the times I am ;-)
ReplyDeleteHello, x's ten!
ReplyDeleteA belated Hello to you Rena...
ReplyDeleteI knew about this "holiday", so my staff and I handed out homemade cards to all the residents this morning...it had the word Hello on the front and we wrote:
Today is World Hello Day...and we hope you have a day filled with Hellos and smiles and don't forget to say Hello to all you meet...So from all of us to you and your famly "Hello"
We had people stopping by the office and stopping us out on the property to just say hello...it made for wonderful day...
Rena...I forgot to mention that when I was buying a Bigfoot action figure for Hubs for Christmas, I saw an Electronic Yodelling Pickle and thought about you and Dilly...it was on Amazon.com...grin...
ReplyDeleteHello Christy!
ReplyDeleteHello Nancy!
Hello Anita!
Hello Kelly!
Hello Sharon!
Hello Elysabeth!
Hello Adrienne!
Hello Kim!
Hello Kate!
Hello Bish!
Hello Brenda!
You're all so sweet!
Brenda -- Thanks so much for telling me about the yodeling pickle. I'm definitely going to look that up for sure! Dilly would love that! Thanks again!