A Little "Hello" Goes a Long Way

When I worked at Winona Hospital we were expected as employees to smile, make eye contact, and say "hello" to everyone we met, coworker or visitor. This was required of us by the administrator during orientation. I've carried that t/o my career and life. At my current place of employment, no one gets past me without a "hello". Some people are relieved that you said it first, smile and say it back. Others dread seeing me come down the hallway as the "hello gal" and hang their head and avoid eye contact (this is commonly the younger population). That doesn't get them off the hook. They still get a hello. Can you believe people actually try to ignore you in the hallways, like you don't exist? Is this what our society is coming to, that our social skills are so lacking that they don't know how to say "hello" anymore?
I also wave at everyone who moves over on the road when Lexicon and I are walking. If you don't move over, you don't get a wave. But if you do, I thank you. There are even a few neighbors who recognize the big pregnant lady walking the middle-aged furball who move over and wave when approaching before I get to smile and wave first.
Have you ever gone to Wells Fargo bank? They all smile warmly and welcome you. I like that, whether it's fake or real, I still feel like a warm fuzzy when I go into their company. At other banks, you are made to feel bad, like you're wasting their time for having come to give them business. A roll of the eyes and "I'm open" is not welcoming and certainly doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling, even if their rates are good.
Dad always said "howdy" to everyone. This embarrassed me as a child, my Dad pretending to be a cowboy. ARG! But people responded. A big smile and a "hello" back. And people remember him for that too, as I found out this weekend talking to a long-lost girlfriend of mine who used to have Dad work on her computer. You never know the impact you'll make with a simple greeting. Conclusion of today's blog: It never hurts to take that extra second to be kind...so do it. :)