Saying “Hello”

I got on a plane yesterday and, as I found my seat, said “hello” to the man next to me. I wasn’t interested in conversation, as flight time was already set aside as work time for me. But as I would be sitting next to him for the next 4 ½ hours, “hello” seemed like a good idea. Nothing big. Just “hello.” He turned to his traveling companion and they spoke for awhile in another language. Finally he turned to me and, in English, told me how much it meant that I’d said “hello.” This was clearly what he and his companion had been talking about. “No one does that anymore,” he said. “They do their thing and ignore everyone else.” Then he said, “You made my day.” If he’d said it light-heartedly, I don’t believe I would have thought about it beyond that moment. But he didn’t say it light-heartedly. He looked me in the eye, and he said it quite seriously.

The plane took off. I worked. He read. That was that.

But that wasn’t just that. Not really. Because a very particular thing now existed in row 10—connection, community, vibe. Call it what you will—it was there.

For all sorts of reasons, we’ve moved away from simple connection just when we need it the most. We’re in a time of unprecedented challenges.  And whether it’s because there are too many demands on us and we feel we have to protect ourselves, we’re distracted, it’s “not our style,” or we’ve just gotten out of the habit, we’re missing opportunities to build the connection that’s so vital to us as individuals, communities, even countries. Tough times are only compounded when we’re in isolation.

And I’m not talking about isolation at home. Having strong and supportive relationships at home and with friends is essential. I’m talking about something else—how we relate to those we don’t know. How we relate to “the human community.”

I got it today. “Hello” isn’t just “hello.” It’s actually a lot more. And who knows what that “lot more” is—the ability to impact someone’s day? Someone’s outlook? Someone’s decisions? And if they pass it along—others?

Have a great week.

And, while I’m at it, “Hello.”