Tonight, as we were riding home, I was struck by the unintentional culture we live in…
Bus rides. Trains. Subways. These transport us so many directions– north, south, east, west, but never inward.
So many meaningless encounters with fellow strangers of this world. At least we make these encounters meaningless.
And we allow these people to be strangers.
We quench the divine orchestrations presented by our creator.
Opportunities to acknowledge another's humanity. To learn a new name. To see a new face. To hear a new story. To discover a new heart. To meet a new brother. to care for another sister.
So many pass by's.
So many casual smiles and nonchalant nods.
So many unspoken conversations.
The headphones we place in our ears are outlets to listen to a melody we have already heard.
These familiar melodies prevent a new song from being spoken.
We block out the potential sounds of laughter– the potential stories of healing and discovery.
Why do I live in a world where it takes a leap of faith or a burst of courage to say, "Hello"? Why does it take mental persuasion to let more than shallow words flow between two human beings who are unknown to each other.
Why do we feel intrusive about interrupting silence? A world where so many people describe themselves as lonely, yet when presented with opportunities of community, they choose to remain alone.
Why do we decide that we shouldn't start a conversation with someone because they look like they want to be alone? Just because we don't know if they are the type of person who enjoys the presence of others.
That in itself is a reason that we should start a conversation! Because we DONT KNOW what type of person they are.
We decide we have nowhere to start. No similarities or reason to start a conversation. We are afraid of losing an ounce of dignity. We are afraid the person sitting next to us won't continue the conversation or question our motives.. at least this is what holds me back.. the fact that it's become normalcy to let the person sitting next to you walk off of the bus without knowing what type of soul it was you were just sitting next to for 30 minutes or an hour, or 10 hours.
We (myself included) need to stop thinking of reasons that limit us from being intentional and relational.
It's simple.
Start with hello, my name is…
God will help us out after that if we take that first move.
Tonight, I decided i love the word "hello."
Say "hello," it could change everything.
Tonight, a simple hello gave us a ride home and saved us from a long and cold, rainy walk home.
I can't wait to see how God uses the word "hello," in my life.
Goodbye for now,
Calah.
"How many times have we walked by someone on the street or in a hallway and instead of saying hello we pretend we don't see them? The truth is that all of us, deep down inside, have a need to be seen, acknowledged and appreciated. We are on a spiritual journey that can at times be very lonely. And one of the simplest and most effective ways to help our fellow traveler is to smile and say hello."
-Ron Atchison
