The Golden Rule

I've been thinking about the Golden Rule,
and how I want to use it in my classroom.

Because sometimes,
first graders can be mean.

And to teach the GR I have to live the GR. Yes?

So when I am out running, and another exerciser passes by,
I wave.
Or pant,
Hel-lo.
Breathe.
Sometimes I am running and they are running.
And sometimes I am running and they are biking.
Other times I am running and wishing they couldn't see me running,
So what then?
Must I?

And what if the other person avoids eye contact?

Should you wave at cars coming towards you that give you a generous amount of room?
And flip off the ones who try to brush you with their side mirrors? (Heavens, no! Right?)

Here's the real kicker.
Say you're walking down the hallway. Just you and another grown-up.
You make your eyes look busy until just the moment you say hello.
Because you have to.
Say hello.
But say, you are walking back in the opposite direction not long after that,
because maybe you were just doing a quick errand because maybe your job is boring sometimes and maybe you were just going to photocopy one page because you had 5 minutes to spare.
AND you pass that SAME PERSON in the hallway AGAIN.
Do you say hello?
Or say something silly like "Well, hello again" or "We meet again".
Maybe first time "hello" second time "smile".
But don't SAY "smile". Right?

Are there rules? Should I know them?
Did I miss that day of first grade?
Should I miss that day of first grade?