Living Zen Life

I'm working on seeing, really seeing,
all the non-human sentient beings.
I do pretty good at spider recognition.
I'm keen on an Anna's hummingbird 
who fancies branches just off my veranda.
I say hello. If she\he\they answer back
I don't have the way of hearing.

It's humans of the species that intrigue me most.
I walk plenty these days and watch 
as one or two of the breed approach on the sidewalk.
I've taken to naming the ways they recognize
or do not recognize me.
It is an odd habit of mine,
one of many to be sure.

Of course, there are the friendly acknowledgements from many,
hello, wave, smile, good morning!
Personally, my favorite greeting is, "Howdy!"
How I came to almost exclusively use this 
anachronistic greeting is beyond me.

Then there are a few wonderfully unusual greetings,
rare, but much appreciated:

There is the tip of the cap. 
I have not seen this one but I'd like to practice it. 
It is, after all, an elegant gesture, with long history
including simply touching the bill of the cap (baseball or tophat), lifting the hat full off the head, 
and, even older, whisking the hat behind, with the 
opposite arm folded across the chest,
profoundly bowing the while, Three Musketeer style. This, I believe,
is reserved for acknowledging the female of the species.
I don't think I'll practice this one.

One of my favorites is the runner guy
I regularly see, approaching me on the sidewalk,
giving me a crisp military style salute.
I'm guessing former Marine Corps officer.

One fine day, from across the street,
a woman, while running, cast a lovely smile at me
with a wave to boot. Made my day.

Then, of course, there are the many modes
of non recognition, some more insulting than others:

There is the very common "look away" just before we pass as if something important just happened to catch their eye.

Then there is the "important cell phone call or message"
that happened to come just in time to save them from having to show the courtesy of a simple greeting.

The "dog look away." This is especially discouraging as dogs are usually the friendliest greeters on the planet.

The "completely ignore me while staring straight ahead as if I didn't exist, or was a ghost they could not see." I am fairly certain I am no ghost though some day I may be.

The "double look away" when two people both see something important at the same time, just in time to complete the full ignore.

There is, "the cat look at while walking by ignore" as if I were no one of consequence. Cats are highly proficient in this type of ignore. I must give credit where due. Younger ones of the human species are equally adept at this one.

The "reluctant acknowledgement." I appreciate this one thinking, at least they tried.

This study of human behavior is in the realm of study of self. I have done and must recognize that I have exhibited all of these behaviors. The world is a vast mirror showing me myself at every turn.  If I look at any other, human, dog, cat, flower, tree, I am looking at myself.