After nearly two weeks of vacation, today I made my way back to work. I got up at my normal early hour, drove downtown amid the normal Tuesday AM traffic, parked in my normal spot in the garage, walked my normal path from the car to the office, and encountered one of the “regular” business people I often see on my morning foot commute.
Ever since March of last year, many fellow downtown workers have begun smiling at me as we pass one another – and occasionally one will even give me a slight head nod, a small wave, or even a quiet “Good morning”. However, today I passed by one fellow who just took these exchanges a step further.
Upon seeing me approach, he removed one headphone from his ear (he’s always heading to the gym when I pass him), and enthusiastically said, “Happy New Year!” I immediately smiled, and replied, “Happy New Year to you, too!”
Forget Times Square at midnight; to me, receiving such a friendly, sincere greeting from a former stranger is a great way to start a new year.
May 2012 possess an abundance of love, laughter, fun… and plenty of positive exuberance from strangers.
Stef
Smile, kiddo. 
I say ‘Happy New Year!’ all week long to people as I see them for the first time, it is one of my very favorite things about a new year… such a fun greeting. So happy. 🙂 Happy New Year to you, Stef!
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Nadine, that’s wonderful! What a great way to begin each new year.
Happy New Year to you, too! 🙂
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Happy New Year 🙂
It’s amazing how warm and welcoming people can be around Christmas and New Year. It would be reat if we could all keep it up for 365 days 🙂
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Thanks Piglet! I agree, having “holiday cheer” at all times of the year would be fantastic. 🙂
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love that sign. i could see how it would be intimidating to many but in the right place, at the right time, what a healing activity.
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Exactly. And I think the benefits of such an exercise would outweigh any discomfort one might initially feel…
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agreed. I so want to hold wise women circles here on the property. I could see using this as a healing exercise.
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That’s such a 2012 story! Taking out his headphone —-
I mean, of course you’re right! He’s doing that for someone he feels he knows, he wouldn’t do it for a stranger — it’s a meaningful gesture.
But it still cracks me up! Sir Walter Raleigh laying down his cloak for Queen Elizabeth to walk on, a stranger making an intimate gesture involving an earphone — how styles change!!!!!
😀
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I have never had a gent lay down a cloak for me to walk on; but I would be impressed if such a thing occurred! For now, I’ll happily take the headphone removal. 😉
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