'HOW ARE YOU' IS A GREETING, NOT A QUESTION

 



“Don’t tell your friends about your indigestion:

‘How are you?’ is a greeting, not a question.”

Arthur Gulterman

 

I do not know the context in which Arthur Gulterman said what you read in the above quote; but, every time I send greetings to others, or receive them from  others, this quote pops up to make my heart smile…

During the Lockdown, like everyone else, I couldn’t go to a barber shop (You may call it a Salon or Studio)… the Urban Clap sent the barber (Hair stylist) home. Mine was this young, enthusiastic man called Saba Ansari…

I stuck to him... I never saw a barber shop ever since…

Saba was with Enrich before joining Urban Clap. But, he is on his own, now. He has built a strong base of loyal customers, that he doesn’t need the shoulders of Enrich or Urban Clap, anymore… He is not even 25…. Married, has a little kid, and works from dawn to dusk…

Yesterday, when our doorbell rang and I opened the door, I was pleasantly surprised to see Saba… He was going to all his loyal customers with an attractive container of seviyan kheer…

“Happy Eid, Saba,” I instinctively greeted…

“Eid Mubarak ho,” my wife greeted from behind, making it for my wrong way of greeting a Muslim brother…

But, then, Saba made no fuss. He, apparently, seemed happy with my ‘Happy Eid.”

The kheer was simply delicious… Rich with dry fruits… just right in every respect…

Just as my innocent, yet genuine, greetings were!





The day earlier was a Sunday. A senior associate of mine, who now lives in the US, had greeted: “Happy Easter, Gerry.”

I smiled… The Easter Sunday was three weeks away. Still, I knew, that my senior associate was greeting me more with prayers and blessings during the ongoing Lenten season…

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to receive some of my non-Christian fellowmen’s greetings on the forthcoming Good Friday: “Happy Good Friday.”

So what? After all, that traumatic, sombre Friday, if hailed as a ‘Good Friday’ for centuries, yes, there must be a very good reason for it… Right?

Arthur Gulterman comes to remind us: “Hello, don’t tell your friends about your indigestion: ‘How are you?’ is a greeting, not a question.”

What matters is the honesty and innocence with which the greetings come out of our hearts… Let’s not analyze too much…

 

A couple of days ago, I suddenly realized, that I had forgotten to wish another dear associate of mine…

“A belated Happy Birthday… Just forgot… Apologies,” I sent my late wishes with laughter emojis…

“Thank you very much,” my associate responded, “Don’t worry; I keep receiving Happy Birthday greetings throughout the week!”

“So, it’s ‘Happy Birth-week’, not ‘Happy Birth-day’,” I chuckled…





Every morning, the mountains are the first ones to greet the Sun, not we humans, here, who greet one another with our words – the choicest words… the most appropriate words…

I wonder on the language the mountains use to greet the Sun!

 


GERALD D’CUNHA


Pic’s:  1. www.pinterest.com  2. pixabay 3. quotefancy.com

Video: Chrome Pictures

 

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