Ever noticed people standing in an elevator? Everyone seems to be looking in different directions. Someone is concentrating hard on the call buttons. Another is intently scanning the floor. Others are just staring into space, trying to avoid contact with any other pair of eyes. It’s so hard to be in the company of strangers, even for such a short span of time.
Somehow, we find it difficult to acknowledge the existence of people around us. I have always wondered if it’s criminal to smile at someone in front of you in a queue at the supermarket. Or to say hi to someone walking past on the road.
My mom has struck up several conversations and met many wonderful people at the unlikeliest of places - at restaurants, in movie ticket queues, even in hospitals!
We are all on the same planet, after all, under the same shining sun and stars, living similar lives, however different they might seem. There is so much that binds us together, even though we may not know each other’s names.
Why are we so afraid? I am not that naive to think that everything is hunky-dory in the world. But can we live on the assumption that no one is to be trusted?
Seems like a sad way to live to me. I’d love to spread a smile to everyone I meet! That can’t hurt. How dangerous can it be to just say hello to a stranger? :)
A very simple stated thought Nikhaar, why cant we smile at everybody that we meet ? I am in now way doubting the fact that you are a wonderful person, but "communication" always has two ends and a message of "i-am-being-kind-to-you" depends a lot on the receiver end, you might be being courteous with that pretty smile. I would rather give a frown than a wrong signal to world where people need only a "smile" to encourage rowdy behavior. Again it depends on the "crowd" also " Evil comes to all us men of imagination wearing as its mask all the virtues.” William Butler
ReplyDeleteGreat though but I think it is just an Indian culture thing. I had the opposite issue when I moved to the US, here it is natural and normal to be cordial to someone, talk to a complete stranger and be okay with it. It took me a while to let my guard down and be able to talk to someone in an elevator or on the street.... I like it better this way. :D
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