Fot the last little while I have been getting frustrated. Frustrated in the area of empty greetings. Mainly at Churches, during the time where people are saposed to greet one another. I don't get it, how can the whole church greet everyone and all that genearly comes up is "hello, how are you" the person answers, "good, how are you". There are variants of this convo, but the end result is nothing. I am actually sick of the "empty handshakes" that go around. I almost want to give a ridicoulous answer to the next person who asks me "how it is goin" without acutally caring. So many people will shake your hand and blindly stare into the abyss, as they move on to the next "empty hanshake"
9 comments:
yeah...It's fun to respond differently. It wakes people up. And sometimes hints at things that you want brought up but don't want to throw it out there. Empty ones arent fun. Unless the greeting comes from someone on the street that starts talking to you as you pass by, and arent trying to sell something. Those are cool because the person who doesn't even know you chose to talk with you...yeah.
Good words! I like the new look by the way! :)
The only thing worse than an empty handshake is an empty milkshake.
Maybe you should say first "I'm gonna drop-kick the next person who gives me a shallow greeting!"
... Just a thought.
Hey mikey, im not a huge blogger, but its sweet to be able to check up on how things are going and whats new with all you who do blog. Just wanted to say your blog is really sweet. I like the quote under your name on the main page too. Thrice :) Talk to you soon dude.
Mike! No idea you knew I had a blog. As for the pic I posted, unfortunately Dan took it, but I am in love with it.
Aboout your post, such a good thought, and I agree. After living in Africa where everybody takes a good chunk of time to genuinely ask you how you are, it's annoying seeing people act so empty about it here.
To be the devil's advocate...
sometimes it's not easy in a church setting, especially a larger one, to say hi to people and actually get into a good conversation or have anything more than an empty handshake. I think it is better to have a greeting time at the beginning of the church service than to have none; sure, one is filled with 'empty' greetings, but the other can leave people with the sense of being cattle. They come in, sit down, maybe stand up to sing, sit down to hear the preacher, and then leave, without any contact outside of their families or friends. One may be empty, but the other is cold.
And on handshakes being empty...instead of being on the recieving end of the handshake, what about going to people, maybe one or two at the most, and really truly asking them how they are doing and be sincere about hearing their answer? I mean like maybe that's a way to break the whole empty handshake syndrome. Use that time to get to know someone...heck, one could even use that time the next sunday to see the same person...develop a consistent relationship and ask how that one person is doing, each week?
Completely agree!! It's always bothered me how the most popular, and meaningless greeting is, "Hey, how are you!?" Well...when I ask it, I acctually care, if someone's doing really crappy that day, I wanna know when I ask how they are.. But, as annoying and aggrivating as it is.. I don't think this is going to change for the better anytime soon. But, Mike.. How are you? ( jgambles@gmail.com ) Let me know what's goin on with you!
Empty Handshake eh? Can I say I was surprised when I caught myself doing it too? Put on a great little smile and say "I'm good," keep walking...oh wait, "I wasn't good..." "they'll never know the difference we weren't that close anyway..." Has anyone felt this before? I have. I think as much as there is the syndrome of the empty handshake, that it has its root in the heart. In fact, it's almost as to say that it's a covering of the heart, because when we give someone an empty handshake, we are retreating to the place of utmost safety where vulnerability is a word in the dictionary. Is it really scarey too tell someone how you truly feel? Sometimes for me I just get sick of explaining that I'm not doing good, does my life story have to be broadcasted to everyone? Maybe it's not about releasing all the information, but sticking to honesty, "I'm not doing so well, but I'll survive, I have good friends who support me and pray for me."
Update, would you!?
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