The Hello Habit.

In rural areas and small towns, you're taught as a kid to look people in the eye and say hello. When you meet someone or pass a person on the street, whether you actually know that person or not, your parents teach you that it's bad manners not to say anything.

I'm saddened to say that I've gotten out of this habit, and I've gotten into the habit of simply smiling and looking at my shoes. (What in the BLUE BLAZES?? WHY do I do this?? I'M even slightly perturbed at it. Nonetheless.) It was a tough realization I came to just today, while I was grocery shopping on my lunch break. Lunchtime at the grocery store is an odd time ... it's when construction workers, moms, farmers, retired folk, students, and other random odds and ends do their shopping - mostly people who are from this area. And into this environ I wandered this afternoon.

First, Salvation Army bell ringer. I smile at him. He smiles back and issues a hearty hello. I offer a quiet hi. Next, whilst perusing the produce, I get to the lettuce where a stocker has her cart planted in front of what I want. I eye her. She catches me and says hello! Taken slightly aback, I return the greeting and grab my lettuce. Okay, so service workers and employees say hello. Not too surprising.

But I ain't done yet. FOUR TIMES while I was shopping the aisles, complete strangers said hello to me. By this time, I was beginning to note my internal urge to just smile and look down, so I made myself look them right in the eye and say hello back.

How on EARTH did I end up with this SHY bit to my personality??!! Where did this come from?? How long have I been this way?? Why did I start just smiling and looking away?? This is very disturbing, honestly. And simply will NOT be acceptable any longer. That is IT. I shun thee, shyness. I shall be an eye-looker and hi-sayer from henceforth.