By Dianna Christakos

My morning walk is a ritual I seldom miss.

Since I walk without anything electronic, I pay attention to my surroundings and nature’s gifts. Today I would like to share one of the pastimes I enjoy.

As I walk I make it a habit to wave to every person who goes by, be he or she on a bike, a car or walking.

I wave to everyone, with just a slight lifting of my hand at the wrist. The response to this gesture is my topic.

The vehicular traffic first.

There are those who roll down the window and say hello along with the wave. I love that.

Next come the wavers with the full palm firmly attached to the wheel of the car.

Then there are those who are having a rough day and can only manage lifting a finger. That’s OK too, I understand.

Some notice me too late to wave and do a backward wave like they do in Europe.

Next come those who do not see me or my hand and simply drive by me as though I were invisible.

Twice they nearly ran me down but I fooled them and moved just in time.

The walkers’ response is varied as well.

Some stop to chat about the dog, the weather etc.

Others grunt a “hi”, while others are so tuned in to their electronic devices that they do not acknowledge my presence at all.

Sometimes it is fun to be invisible.

The golfers are usually a friendly lot and say hello.

It is always fun at the end of my walk to reflect in these heady observations.

Dianna Y Christakos