National High-Five Day is TODAY. The 3rd Thursday of every April. National High-Five Day was started by some students at the University of Virginia in 2000. It’s a chance for all of us to express some positive encouragement to each other in a simple, public way that is sure to lift the spirits of even the lowliest soul among us. Not only that, it’s a great chance to move beyond the daily habits we employ when we pass each other in a hallway. Think about it, after you’ve seen somebody for the 5th or 6th time in a day you both have a dilemma: Do you say hello again, do you do the awkward head nod or half-smile, or is it time to just walk by without acknowledging, confident that each others’ presence here has been established for the day. I don’t know about any of you, but the stress involved in the intricacies of that simple exchange, or lack there-of, is enough to keep me up at nights. How beautiful, and utterly simple it would be if we all just knew to slap a high-five on the way by and get on with our work. I don’t think it’s going too far to believe that a consistent, applied practice of the high-five as a normal passing activity could be enough to break down all barriers in society and possibly lead to sustained world peace.



So please, join me today in the joy that will be…