Greeting!

That is life!

We encounter many ways in our daily life that intersects and we are thinking; “Which Way”!

Some ask themselves; “Which is the best way for me”?

The others believe; “God, Gods, or Goddess (s) determine my way”! Many people use and toss a coin; “Head or Tail”? There are fellows who should use maps, the real paper maps to plan their destination for daily fates, chances or fortunes. Many use a compass. And the Digital Generation uses some Apps. All of them are fine, as long as they are happy! At least, I hope they are happy and not pretending to be!

I can’t do anything about it when there are people who are satisfied with their routines, as they call it “Standard of Life”!

But I call it “Attitude of Life” and choose the way that I have never been there before, and on my way with my bike, I came across different people who were walking, jogging and biking and as usual, I greeted them! Smiling and wishing them

A Good day!

A Nice Morning!

Or just a simple “HI”! But all the reactions were not the same!

Some were very friendly and answered my greeting in a friendly way. Some of them just nodded, some smiled and then there were people who

Looked straight through me

Or

Turned their heads 

And my “Greeting” likely fell on deaf ears

Simply

Ignoring my existence!

 

I biked further and passed by someone who was jogging. I greeted him and he asked me to stop. I did it and he made a face and looked at me:

Do you know me?

No!

Why did you say hello to me?

It is my attitude!

Very strange to me! It is not my standard greeting a stranger or accept his hello!

What is wrong with that?

You are a stranger! I don’t know you! That is my point!

 

But I greet everyone when I encounter people. It doesn’t matter who they are! I do it wherever I am and whatever I do!

I don’t want to receive any “HI” from unknown people! Clear?

Sure! But I feel, we, the human beings, are like those trees! Please look around! You see all of them, their roots are connected, knotted and tangled together! A simple “Greeting” gives us the real connection! It is a powerful blessing, a positive vibration! A simple hello could lead you to the oneness and merriment!

 

WHAT are you TALKING about!?

I don’t understand what you mean!

 

I mean, nobody is a stranger! We, the human beings, are divided by borders and politics. But our spirits have no colors. Our skins are different but our hearts and bloods are all the same!

You are really a strange man!

 

He got such a long face and turned his back to me and ran. I felt upset, not because I did something wrong, NO! I just wanted to share my feelings why I greet people. I was upset because he didn’t want to “IMAGINE” what I told him!

I continued to bike further along the forest and kept my spirit bright.

I came to this place and to my surprise, I saw the forest path boards with a missing direction.

Just the left side of the direction, that blank space board! Believe me, I didn’t do any filter by any photo softwares. That means I didn’t remove the text!

Now

What to do?

Some people would complain because they can’t find “THAT” blank unwritten space direction on the map and some just ignored the existence of the direction.

What a BAD Luck!

I don’t think that it is a bad or good luck! I just follow “My Destiny”, metaphorically!

Now, here is my text!

I chose that path because I knew many people never would do it. Unknown way, would be a big risk, but I needed to be alone and think about some people who never understood my HELLO with a friendly smile. May be they interpreted it that I am a cheat, a swindler, a thief, or a stalker. Why are they not thinking that a simple greeting won’t hurt any soul? Is that really complicated to feel or understand my point of view? 

The path was like a time tunnel and as soon as I started to bike through that path, it transformed into countries, cities and places where I have been.

The both sides of the way changed into buildings and streets at different times. I could see all people whom I greeted and we became friends. Just the recent memories from Hanoi – Vietnam, make the path colorful.

I have been there for two months in 2018. Every day I walked from my hotel to the Vietnam TV station. As usual, I started greeting people, the hotel porters, male and female cleaners, the shop owners, companies, securities, resellers, peddler, street traders, vendors, etc. and they responded to my simple “HI” very friendly. Sometimes they invited me for a cup of tea or coffee. And in this way I found Harry. He was not only responded to my greeting, but also brought a plastic stool and asked me to sit while he was going to make some tea. I thanked him and promised to come back after my work.

In the evening, I got back to Harry. I asked him for his delicious Döner and while eating we talked. He was an educated and knowledgeable man and always smiled with his heart. He brought me to some local pops, restaurants and let me get to know his friends. I have learned a lot from Harry!

In two months, I have eaten by Harry. I have learned many topics from him about Vietnam and its society and everyday I got the chance to know his family and neighbors. One evening, he and his family invited me for dinner and I found nothing but hospitality among them.

I listened to them carefully. I let them bring me to their worlds. I swim and climb where they want to guide me. I never judge them by their backgrounds, birthplaces, skin colors, nationalities, religions and beliefs. Through their ways, I have learned how crucial this world is. And I feel my roots are growing deeper under the ground and tied to others roots. Therefore, I have learned many languages too

Greet people!

Wish them luck!

A nice day!

A colorful Time!

A bright night!

And show them my appreciations being with me and making my life richer. In this way I have built up my own social network! The real SOCIAL one!

In the night, when I am going to sleep, I think about all those wonderful people and my friends and how rich I am! It really feels marvelous!

I wish you also

Sleep in peace and wake up in joy!

I never say goodbye! I use to say;

See you buddies!

The fact is, I look beneath the surface to appreciate the quality of life!

Manouchehr Abrontan