How are you my fine ladies?

It is summer and I should be all smiles and giddiness but sometimes, it’s just hard to get the gritty city girl out of her shell. I grew up right in the city, and learned street smarts fairly early on. Keep to yourself, don’t talk to strangers, etc. And I was good at it. I could put on the meanest “Don’t F with me” look you have ever seen. In fact, recently, at my mum’s house, I almost scared the bejesus out of her friend who we thought was some looky-loo coming down the driveaway (no one recognized her or the car from a distance). My mum gets many ding-dong tourist trespassers in the summer and she was fed up, so I trudged up the road and put my “I will hurt you” look on my face.

Of course, I was completely embarrassed when I realized it was a friend of my mum’s. She wasn’t offended and actually made a joke that she would definitely pick me as her top choice in a fight. I have never been in a fist-fight but I probably could hold my own.

Putting up your guard and creating a protective shell against others is a trait all city girls know. When I lived in Manhattan, I learned to keep my eyes down, don’t make eye contact and walk fast. To this day, I can not stand to walk slow. So, you can imagine my dilemma now that I live in the ‘burbs and all the neighbors are “Good morning” and “HELLO!” It is jarring. It is off-putting. And it is so nice!!

The other day, I was doing my weekly walk with my neighbor and our dogs and this little boy walking towards us stopped and asked if he could pet my neighbor’s dog. This boy was adorable!! A little surfer boy, with his surfboard under his arm and his wetsuit draped over it. He had curly blond hair and couldn’t have been more than 11. He was polite, personable and friendly. All alone walking to his house (his parents were still on the beach), and just shooting the breeze with his fellow man.

After we walked away, my friend and I immediately gushed over what a fine young man he was. So adorable and such nice manners. The boy’s kindness and relaxed style stayed with me all day. I thought, “I need to learn from that little surfer boy and be more friendly.”

So there you have it. I plan to be more extroverted. I don’t plan on walking up to every single stranger I see, but I definitely can say “Hello” and “Good morning” to those that pass me on my morning walks every single day. There are a few that I see a lot that stop and we might exchange a sentence or two as our dogs sniff each other, but I have been lax in really being proactive. There is one woman I see every single morning with her two dogs. She passes, keeps to herself. I am going to say “Good morning!” to her next time!! And, I will not get all flustered when my next door neighbor wants to talk for a minute. I usually just think “Oh no. I have so much to do. I can’t possibly talk.” I am the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.

Ladies, we are human beings and that human connection is something we mustn’t lose. We can go all day without talking to people and spend hours emailing, texting and on Facebook. This is NOT interaction my friends. This is simulation. A face-to-face encounter is what we all need. It is what creates kindness and sympathy and empathy – all things that are dwindling quickly with the next generation. So go say “Hello” or “Good morning” to anyone. You will feel better!