World Hello Day falls on 21 November
Salutation or bowing to someone in respect doesn’t imply surrender or servitude. It is only an expression of regard for the divine power inherent in the other person – indeed in all of us. Our belief in the Almighty and submission before Him imbues in us enormous capacity to resolve the difficult or odd circumstances that routinely confront us. As a sage said, “When you kneel down before Him, He stands up for and when He is aligned with you, none can stand before you”.
Nature, a creation of the Almighty, has ever been presenting to man one mind-boggling riddle after another. Understanding the unsurmountable limitations of human efforts through research and development in unravelling these mysteries, stalwarts of science, technology, theology etc. have ended submitting to His designs. “The most solid piece of scientific truth I know of is that we are profoundly ignorant about nature” said Lewis Thomas. Science only scratches the periphery of truth that ever remains elusive. Thomas Alva Edison corroborates it: “Until a man duplicates a blade of grass, Nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge”. This must make us humane and submissive to God. Those resorting to aggressive violate the Nature’s wishes and partake of its vengeance.
A negative trend in nurturance of our young ones is emphasis on their presentational rather than actual being. Such mindset marginalises the intrinsic worth of the individual so that the growth is only superficial. Children grown up with this mindset are not likely to achieve the best in their field. Whether the greeting or bowing down in respect is genuine or ritual, a sheer formality is instantly understandable to the other person who cannot be befooled. And never forget, only a sincere salutation shall elicit hearty blessing that does work for you. For man is not just a bundle of flesh & blood but an entity imbued with spiritual attributes. When two individuals greet each other, in the rapport thus established there is often an exchange of energy.
As with a fruit-laden tree, those with enormous learning remain in submissive mode and are far from deadly sin of arrogance that only degrades man. As a sage said, the truly learned are never proud of their knowledge because they are aware of their ignorance.
World Hello Day, an initiative of Brian McCormack & Michael McCormack in 1973 in response to Yom Kippur war, celebrated on 21 November in 170+ countries, provides us an opportunity to greet the known and the unknown ones with a smile so as to disseminate the sunshine of comity and love among all living beings. The event has endorsement of celebrities including cine stars, leaders, authors, etc. Whatever the way of greeting: folding hands, hands shake, kissing the hand or cheeks, shaking the head with pleasure, the practice must be encouraged. The day enjoins each one to say Hello to ten persons on this date.
Dialogues establish rapport between the souls and dispel suspicions & apprehensions. In the current world scenario, often tending to tear apart people, there is urgent need to establish and strengthen channels of communication between individuals, communities and nations, and to this end Greeting can be a vital modality.
Author: Harish Barthwal
