Your little corner of the world.
The norm when meeting or greeting someone in Korea, as well as in some other Asian countries, is to bow. Hand shaking is not the norm and truth be told, the hand-in-hand greeting method should be abandoned, and the sooner the better.
My research about the culture of Korea indicates that bowing is a sign of gratitude and respect to the person being met. That is probably a fact about which you were already aware but it’s a fact deserving of more attention.
When I have personally bowed to others in greeting or while saying goodbye, it is always done with the intent of me honoring our time together – whether briefly in passing or for an extended period of time. This bow carries with it the wish that the person be well, and stay well.
One matter to which we can all relate is the fact that we are currently going through difficult times, and we will no doubt have future instances where difficulty is our norm. Knowing that to be the case, isn’t it a grand gesture to acknowledge individuals with a respectful bow? We don’t need to know the details of the struggles experienced by others in order to honor them. It has been said that because we cannot possibly know what a particular person is going through, we should treat each person we meet with kindness.
One way of extending that kindness is to speak softly, smile genuinely, and bow intentionally, perhaps even placing ones’ palms together at the heart while bowing slightly. Could we perhaps start a movement of doing so? Just think how improved our world would be if each of us made that small effort of lifting someone up by acknowledging their presence and importance in our world. Lest you think such a “small” gesture couldn’t possibly make a difference, I leave you with the following quote by Grace Lee Boggs:
We can begin by doing small things at the local level, like planting community gardens or looking out for our neighbors. That is how change takes place in living systems – not from above – but from within, from many local actions occurring simultaneously.
The important thing is to make some sort of difference – actually change something. Not the entire world, just the little bit around you.
My research about the culture of Korea indicates that bowing is a sign of gratitude and respect to the person being met. That is probably a fact about which you were already aware but it’s a fact deserving of more attention.
When I have personally bowed to others in greeting or while saying goodbye, it is always done with the intent of me honoring our time together – whether briefly in passing or for an extended period of time. This bow carries with it the wish that the person be well, and stay well.
One matter to which we can all relate is the fact that we are currently going through difficult times, and we will no doubt have future instances where difficulty is our norm. Knowing that to be the case, isn’t it a grand gesture to acknowledge individuals with a respectful bow? We don’t need to know the details of the struggles experienced by others in order to honor them. It has been said that because we cannot possibly know what a particular person is going through, we should treat each person we meet with kindness.
One way of extending that kindness is to speak softly, smile genuinely, and bow intentionally, perhaps even placing ones’ palms together at the heart while bowing slightly. Could we perhaps start a movement of doing so? Just think how improved our world would be if each of us made that small effort of lifting someone up by acknowledging their presence and importance in our world. Lest you think such a “small” gesture couldn’t possibly make a difference, I leave you with the following quote by Grace Lee Boggs:
We can begin by doing small things at the local level, like planting community gardens or looking out for our neighbors. That is how change takes place in living systems – not from above – but from within, from many local actions occurring simultaneously.
The important thing is to make some sort of difference – actually change something. Not the entire world, just the little bit around you.
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Irene Frances Olson
Author of Requiem for the status quo, a novel that celebrates and encourages family caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or other dementia. You can find that book HERE. Ms. Olson is a member of AlzAuthors, www.alzauthors.com, a compendium of authors who have all been affected by Alzheimer's disease and other dementia. These authors share their experiences to bring knowledge, comfort and understanding to those on a similar journey. AlzAuthors was recently recognized as a United States tax-exempt organization. |
