The Wave

Here's a little secret I've been keeping for about four years. When I first started learning to drive, I noticed that at busy intersections lacking stoplights, people would often wave other drivers or pedestrians through. I then thought of a grand idea: what if, at every single intersection I drove up to and let someone walk or drive by, I waved at them?
What if I let every single pedestrian at every crosswalk walk in front of me?
What if, every time I crossed a crosswalk with a car stopped in front of me, I actually made eye contact with the driver, smiled, and waved?

Now, it's not like I have some crazy scheme to spread infectious happiness. I simply decided one day that I would do this. I wouldn't actually keep track, and I didn't think that four years later, I'd still think of it as a conscious decision. In fact, I don't. I actually just realized it today when I was crossing the street with a group of people. The group cut off a car and forced it to stop suddenly. When everyone else ran across the street, I turned and waved to the driver. I suddenly realized that no one else I was with ever did that, and that no one else I've ever crossed the street with has done it. They've probably never even noticed me do it.

I estimate that at this point in time, I've given well over 1,000 smile-and-waves while driving or crossing streets. The actual number is probably a lot higher. I've unconsciously brought the smile-and-wave with me on my travels to places as exotic as Quebec, San Francisco, and El Salvador.

Am I really trying to accomplish something? I have no idea. I guess I just felt that I should let people know I appreciate not being run over. It's something many people who travel on roads shared with other types of vehicles take for granted. Three years ago, I saw a skateboarder nearly get hit by a van. I thought I was about to see someone die; it appeared that he just got clipped and fell onto the ground. Rather than get up and even look at the driver who almost caused him great personal harm, the skateboarder just got back on his board and skated away. No "thanks for not killing me" from the skater. Not even an "oops, sorry man." Nothing.

I'm not trying to be a rockstar. I'm not trying to sound valiant or like an unsung hero. I'm just letting the world know that I exist - that out there, there is some crazy kid who realized that we're not alone in this world. We depend on others, even if we don't know them.