The Positive Power of Saying Hello

Back in November I was spending another weekend day laying by the pool enjoying the warm sunshine.  To my surprise, a woman stopped and said hello.  About 30 minutes later we had covered what brought us each to Singapore as well as some stories of our experiences here.  Katherine then went on to invite me to dinner that evening with her husband and two children.  And while life got ahead of us after our first dinner together, I was happy to reconnect this past weekend with just enough time to have another wonderful dinner with her family and some friends. 

Katherine’s gracious hospitality made me think about how powerful a simple hello can be.  Had she not stopped by and asked if I was new to the complex that day in November I would have never made such lovely friends and had a delicious and cheerful time on one of my last nights in Singapore. 

It seems silly when you take a step back and think about it, but ultimately just saying hello to someone can make their day.  This sort of thing reminds me so much of my dad.  I swear that man can make a friend while in an elevator.  He literally is able to strike conversation with just about anyone around him.  Growing up I found it totally embarrassing, but I’ve grown to have such a better appreciation for his kind ways.  My dad always finds some connection such as the Boston Bruin’s, craft beer, or even as simple as commenting on how cold it is in New England right now.  What I started to notice as I grew out of my phase of being embarrassed by my dad, (ok so sometimes he still does embarrass me but it’s a parents job to do that), was how just these simple conversations always seemed to leave a smile on someone’s face. 

Sometimes hello leads to dinner and a new friend, sometimes it’s just a simple hello.  Either way, it’s a harmless gesture that can make someone’s day an lead to some amazing connections with people. 

One of my favorite movies is Once.  It’s the story of two ordinary people who happen into each other’s lives by way of music and a vacuum cleaner (sounds great, right?).  Just trust me it’s a really nice story and if you enjoy Irish/acoustic music you’ll like this.  So each character brings something to the table to help the other and then at the end part ways.  And it’s as simple as that!  Two people whose lives cross paths for just a brief moment in time.  While I wish I could have spent more time with Katherine while I was in Singapore, she still had an impact on my time here and is someone that I will always think fondly of from showing her kindness.  But the difference between Once and our present day is…Facebook so we can keep in touch from across the world. 

Moral of the story?  Don’t be afraid to say hello and be open to the possibilities of meeting new people.  If you’re lucky you’ll make a wonderful new friend and make some great memories to take with you.