The idea first came to me on a quiet morning run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I was moving through my neighborhood, I noticed a man standing at the end of his driveway. I saw him glance in my direction from a distance, and as I got closer, I did what I always do\u2014I lifted my hand to wave and say hello, or at least good morning. Just before our paths crossed, he looked down, almost as if he were timing it so he wouldn\u2019t have to make eye contact or respond. At least, that\u2019s how it felt to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I waved anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I remember thinking how strange it is that something so small can feel so big. It wasn\u2019t that I thought poorly of him. If anything, I felt a little silly for caring\u2014but also a little invisible. It made me wonder why saying hello has become something we avoid, when we\u2019re all just people trying to get through whatever life is handing us that day, whether it\u2019s good or bad. I thought to myself, geez\u2026 hello doesn\u2019t hurt. If anything, it might help\u2014or at the very least, it wouldn\u2019t make things worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About a week later, I was listening to a podcast when I heard a story that stuck with me. It was about a man living in San Francisco who had decided he was going to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. Afterward, a note was found in his home. It said something like: \u201cI am going to jump off the bridge today unless someone along the way says hi to me or asks how I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That stopped me cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I thought back to that run and the driveway, and the idea came rushing back\u2014Hello Doesn\u2019t Hurt. Only now it felt heavier. Maybe hello doesn\u2019t just not hurt\u2026 maybe it helps. Maybe it won\u2019t save a life, but maybe it lifts someone a little. Maybe it\u2019s the one moment of recognition someone needed that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I started thinking about the elderly, and how their faces light up when you simply acknowledge them. I thought about people experiencing homelessness. I\u2019ve made a point to say hello when I can. Sometimes there\u2019s no response. Sometimes it\u2019s just a nod. Sometimes it\u2019s a smile. But I still believe that being seen\u2014especially when someone is lonely or down and out\u2014can matter more than we realize. Saying hello doesn\u2019t hurt\u2026 and maybe, just maybe, it helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On my next run, another thought came to me: what if my shirt or hat said Hello Doesn\u2019t Hurt? What if someone saw it and felt a little more comfortable waving, or saying good morning, or simply acknowledging a stranger?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Could it really hurt?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rich<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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