The power of a simple hello

I recently heard a story that really stayed with me. It happened in a frozen fish factory. During one shift, a worker was accidentally locked inside an industrial freezer. He shouted for help, but the shift had ended, and the building was empty. The freezing cold quickly became a deadly trap.

Then something unexpected happened. The door opened. He was saved by the night guard.

The next day, the manager asked the guard how he knew someone was still inside. His answer was simple: "He was the only person who said hello to me every day. He smiled and asked how I was. That evening, I didn't hear his voice, and I knew something was wrong."

This story touched me deeply. How many times do we walk past people without even looking at them? How often do we ignore those who do important things for us every day – cleaners, security guards, shop workers, bus drivers?

That man survived because he treated someone with kindness – not because he had to, but because he wanted to. And that's the power of humanity.

This story reminded me that we never know how much a simple "hello" can mean to someone – or even save a life. Since then, I try harder – to smile, to greet people, to ask how they're doing. Because maybe, just maybe, these small things make us important in someone's life.