I live in a small town, the kind of place where people usually say hello — to friends, strangers, dogs, bears (cautiously) — to whomever or whatever passes you on the street. I also spend a lot of time in the big city, where folks now rarely acknowledge one another with a passing hello.

While the lack of the passing “hello” is contributing to a pervasive sense of community disconnection and even loneliness, it’s also the easiest thing to change. So let’s change it.

I had an epiphany over the past few days. I wrote about our shocking state of disconnection in my June 26 blog “You Had Me At Hello” and challenged folks to introduce themselves to two neighbours that week. But this issue needs an even simpler solution: start saying “hello” to people on the street.

Saying “hello” costs nothing. But the investment has the potential to pay enormous dividends. The most basic of community engagements — the word “hello”, “hi”, “bonjour” “hola”, etc. — has the power to change lives. It lets people know that they are recognized, witnessed, acknowledged. That simple act could be the most powerful exchange that a person has all day: “A stranger said hi to me today, maybe the world isn’t so bad.”

Your “hello” may be met with a little distrust at first – but that’s okay. A “hello” offered along with a friendly smile usually eliminates the suspicion, especially if you keep right on walking. But once they realize that it was a simple gesture of friendliness, it may inspire them to start doing the same.

In short — we need to start somewhere to actively bridge the growing disconnect in our communities. There’s no better way to start than with hello. So I’m starting a movement — right here, right now. Well, officially, about one week from now. I’m starting “The Hello Pledge”, soon to reside on a website near you. I’ll invite everyone, and I mean everyone, to sign on and commit to saying hello to folks in their communities or wherever they may find themselves in our interconnected world.

Saying hello could lead to new discoveries, about the community around you and about yourself.

So, please stand by as I get the website ready to launch. Once I do, then it will be your turn to act by:

  1. Visiting the website
  2. Signing onto the “hello” pledge
  3. Sending an invitation to your friends and family to do the same.
  4. Then start saying hello – everyday, everywhere.

If you want to start practicing it now, that’s okay too. There’s no instruction book required.

Let’s start a hello revolution. I can feel the love already.

~ Maureen Douglas

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