The Wave

Nope, let’s set aside the sports arenas and coliseums for the moment. I’m talking about the “hey, I see you, how you doin’?” greeting. Because here in South Carolina there are nuances I didn’t learn in northern Virginia. Shades not of meaning, but of identification, especially in boats and golf carts.

The wave tells a lot about the person. Pretty much everyone does it. The degree to which they do it tells you not how glad they are to see you, but how they are feeling about life at the moment.

Let’s start at the top, the hang-out-the-window (or side of the cart) full arm wave and open-mouthed grin. Okay, I may have been a little off on this one. This one could also mean, “hey! I haven’t seen you in forever! Let’s do lunch!” Or the waver could simply be in love with life, glad to be here, want to share some happiness.

Next level down (I say “down” because who doesn’t like to receive the hang-out-the-window greeting?), is the arm-bent-at-the-elbow full wave. It’s almost the beauty queen wave without the full rotation. That one, along with a smile, says, “I see and acknowledge you. Hope you’re having a great day!”

Not quite so enthusiastic is the hand-never-leaves-the-top-of-the-steering-wheel full four-finger wave. I’m also not quite so enthusiastic about receiving that one. If you can’t take the trouble to lift your hand, why even bother at all? Sometimes a small smile comes with it but at that point I really don’t care. That one says, I know the drill and I’m simply following the rules.

Last, (or so I thought until this morning) is the lifted index finger. To me that one says, I’m too cool to acknowledge you except with the use of as few muscles as possible. That one is rarely accompanied by any change in facial expression at all. I usually don’t even respond to that one if I’m the wavee. If I’ve waved first, I’ve been known to track the driver down and stick my tongue out behind his back.

This morning, I encountered the bottom level. I was coming back to my house in the golf cart and I passed a man on a big John Deere. I lifted my hand (always) and waved. He stared at me in stony, unrelenting silence. His eyes said, “I know the rules. I choose not to play. And I’m hoping you get the message. I’m having a lousy day and/or life.”

Don’t you think sometimes God sees us the same way?

“Good morning Father! I’m here because I love You and I know You love me. Let’s spend some time together!” (Full body wave, big grin.)

“I don’t have any time to be with You, but I’ll work for You. And I’ll be in church. Count on that!” (Arm-bent-at-the-elbow full wave with a possible smile, depending on how I feel at the time.)

“I’ll tell people I go to church and I’ll go when I feel like it. But I need my personal time without You crowding me.” (Four-finger acknowledgement, no grin.)

“Could you just leave me alone? I’ll get back to You when I need You.” (least effort of all)

“I’m silent and miserable. Somebody help me.”