I just had the nicest walk. Every person I passed gave me a warm hello this afternoon. It was absolutely heartwarming, and I am not exaggerating. I have lots of experience because I take several walks a week around my neighborhood in the Heights and am disappointed that people seem so distant.
Today it all began with a gentleman my age who was approaching me from the other direction; he gave me a warm smile and a hello, about the friendliest greeting I have received in days, maybe weeks.
Then after that first encounter, smiles or greetings emanated from at least seven or eight other people. I wasn’t in a particularly great mood as I had some serious things on my mind. But when I got home a half hour later my spirits were lifted. Of course, it helped that the sun was out today.
I have often wished that people in the neighborhood were friendlier. Maybe that is true of most places today. I also think that Newport Beach as a whole could be more open too. It doesn’t take a big social event to prove that the city is welcoming. A simple nod to a stranger will suffice.
Unless we want to be like the French, of course. I learned quickly as a young woman that it was not proper to smile at strangers there. So maybe that is the philosophy of some Americans for safety or privacy reasons.
There is so much divisiveness in our city, state and particularly our country, that it might just make every place a little less so if we start by showing some common courtesy to our neighbors.
Just because we smile and greet each other on the street doesn’t mean that we have to go vote for the same political party the next time around.
Lynn Lorenz / Newport Beach
