The Power of a Smile, Bow and Hello

Mountains cover 70% of the Korean Peninsula and thus it is not surprising that many people enjoy hiking.

Across the street from my in-laws apartment in South Korea is a small mountain range with the highest peak standing at about 2500 feet. While visiting each year, I often go for a short hike after breakfast and get in a quick workout at the top where they have an outdoor gym of sorts with various push up bars, chin up bars, parallel bars and benches for sit-ups or stretching.

This little adventure puts me in a great mood for the entire day. I typically greet most people I pass while going up or down the mountain with a slight bow, smile and hello in Korean. It is common for people to do such in return as well and often their face lights up with a smile.

This year I saw a particular group of women many times. They looked very happy together and were always cordial when I passed by. The last morning of this trip before heading back to New York, I was fortunate to see them almost as I was finishing my hike. I decided to ask if I could take their photo and they agreed. Here are the three shots taken. Isn’t their joy vibrant and contagious?

I look at the people that hike this little mountain and many appear in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. For some, the pace may be slow, but they make it to the top. The same is true for the many others I have been to all over South Korea. On occasion, some ask me my age. I never ask theirs and it is rare for them to reveal their own age.

However, I remember one time this guy was telling me his and all his friends age. They were quite fit for their early 70s and many were rather good swinging like Olympians on the high bars. These small moments in time give me perspective and to keep pushing when tired, aloof or frustrated with often trivial matters.

Interestingly, this kind of exchange happens to me often in Korea and not only while hiking. Sometimes people strike up a conversation with me in English or Korean, and others wait until I start. Either way, the smile I receive when I give a smile, bow and hello is very touching and memorable. I think the effect it can have on society can be quite substantial if more people behaved in such a way. Food for thought!

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