I rode my bike past workers rolling warm tortillas around eggs, lathering them with salsa and pushing them into their mouths mid sentence as they stood on the corner waiting for cement block to arrive. I called, “Buen provecho”. A chorus of gracias followed as I pedaled toward a young woman walking towards me. I called, “Buenos días”. “Buen día” she replied, lifting her head and smiling.
It’s nice to be acknowledged. Here in Mexico, we do it a lot. And it changes everything about the moment: makes you smile, lifts your spirits, lets you see a different side of people, generally the smiley side. It gives you this feeling that everything’s ok and that you matter.
If you’ve ever spent much time alone, or especially travelled alone, you may have felt lonely at some point. It happens. We feel a little invisible or small. But when you settle into the grocery store line or your seat on the bus and someone acknowledges your mere presence, it feels better.
Maya Angelou said, "Be the rainbow in someone’s day.” It’s not so difficult to do. All you have to do is perhaps say, “Buen provecho.” Try it – once or twice in your day, say hello to someone you don’t know. You can be selective but make eye contact and say hi. Or good morning, or good afternoon. Or buen provecho.
They might just smile back. You might just create a connection. And that might make all the difference to you and the other person.
