You had me at hello

Old-fashioned courtesy wins.

“Bonjour.” “Bonne soirée.”

I am welcomed – and welcome others - at every step in the small Provençal village where I live.

I joke that the 4-minute walk to the bakery can take 20 minutes as I stop to say hello - but it's true.
 
More than a polite greeting, it signals Belonging. Peace. Inclusivity. Home.

It’s summer. Tourists have arrived from around the world.

We keep our traditions. We greet them. We welcome them.

At first, some don’t conform. They walk by, maybe without making eye contact.

But I’ve noticed something.

Germans. Danish. British. Americans. Dutch.

Wherever they come from – the longer they plan to stay, the more quickly they conform. Or invest. In “Bonjour” and “Bonne soirée.”

Humans want to belong. To feel welcomed. To be included. To feel at home.

What if we did this everywhere? At work? In the pub? In the subway?

When was the last time you said hello?