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There are times when simple amenities and just plain good manners seem to have been forgotten, or some may have decided that they don't matter anymore, or some may have decided that rudeness is now the accepted norm. Well, if that's the norm, I'd rather be abnormal.
I am sure most of us have been taught, maybe by our parents or grandparents, maybe by our daycare provider or babysitter, maybe by one teacher (or many), maybe by a coach, or an advisor, or a priest or a pastor, or a boss or a supervisor, maybe by our friends' parents, maybe even by our friend, or maybe we just have the common sense to utter certain amenities like, "Please," "Thank You," or "Excuse me" to others. Sometimes the person might not be able to hear us so maybe we were taught to make a gesture like a nod of the head or a simple wave. Whatever the acknowledgement might be, it's just common decency to show appreciation for something done for us, be it just a simple act of respect or courtesy.
There are times when I have tried to offer some sort of act or gesture toward someone, just because I wanted to be nice to someone whether I knew them of not. I get a little disappointed though, when often times my gesture or sign of respect is not acknowledged back, but fear not, Mom and Dad, I will still be respectful and say "You're Welcome," whether someone thanked me or not for my act.
So out of respect to my parents who taught me to be kind and respectful whenever I could, I wish to say "You're Welcome," to all of you in the following situations:
"You're Welcome" to all of you who walk through the doors I open for you, even if you don't say "Thank You."
"You're Welcome" to all of you whom I allow to go before me at stop signs (even though I was there first) even if you don't wave "Thank You."
"You're Welcome" to all of you who gesture nothing when you to drive down one side of the street when it is clearly my right of way because there are no parked cars on my side of the street but there are on your side of it.
"No problem" to anyone who accidentally bumps into me and fails to acknowledge it with an "I'm sorry," or "Excuse me."
"You're Welcome" to those of you who may drop something and I get to it first and pick it up and hand it back to you, even if you don't say, "Thank You."
"You're Welcome," to those of you who cut in front of me, or anyone else, in any line and don't say, "Thank you," "Excuse me," or "I'm Sorry."
"You're Welcome," to those of you who may be in a parking lot or parking garage where traffic comes from two different directions and most people are decent enough to alternate one from one direction and then one from the other, but you are in such a hurry that you inch forward when the car directly in front of you goes, so you can follow and I have to wait until someone with common courtesy allows me to proceed, (and of course you "forget" to give me a wave or a nod of "Thanks.")
"You're Welcome," to those who pull out in front of my car forcing me to spike my brakes, just so you can get to the next stop sign or traffic light just before I do, and you don't offer me a nod or wave saying, "Thank You," or "Sorry."
"You're Welcome," to those of you who act like all of these mentioned situations are entitlements given to you or afforded to you just because you are in any of these situations.
It's sad that when we walk down a street, and we feel afraid to say "Good Morning," to a fellow passerby, or if someone walking by drops something and doesn't realize it, others seem fearful, or maybe just apathetic, and don't pick it up and catch up with the person who dropped the item to give it to them.
It used to be a commonly shown practice of the Boy Scouts helping an elderly lady to cross the street, or helping an elderly woman or man carry their groceries or packages. We don't seem to see that much, not meaning from the Boy Scouts, but by anyone, or hear about those kinds of practices anymore. Common courtesies and amenities of decency just don't seem to be as popular in this day and age.
I'm not saying all people have abandoned things like opening a door for someone, or saying "Excuse me," for bumping into someone, or belching, or even passing gas, but those practices have seemed to have lost the importance of what they were when our parents made them a huge part of our "home schooling," but they seem to be happening fewer and farther between. Destruction begins when things that were strong begin to wear and the small things start to deteriorate, weakening those things that were strong. Look at what is going on in our country today. Too many things are happening because people are thinking of "I" and "Me," rather than "You" and/or "Them." There seems to be a change in the attitude from "What can I do for someone else," to "How can I get what I want before someone takes it from me." It's like chipping small parts away from what was once a strong foundation of life in this country creating a mass crumbling of what was once the strongest nation in the world. Our weakening is not a result of outside attackers either. This is a self-destruction situation, and one may wonder if it hasn't become this dire due to the small gestures that have been accepted as okay to be tossed aside. A hole doesn't start huge. It starts small and gets bigger with time and erosion. This could be an explanation as people try to figure out why things are happening in our country.
Maybe it's time go back to practicing, and teaching our kids, (maybe by showing by example) to utter those magic words, "Please," "Thank you," "Excuse me," "I'm sorry," "No problem," "Can I help you with that," "Is there anything I can do for you," and the likes of other words and sayings such as these. Maybe it's time to restart doing little things for others, whether we know those for whom we are doing them or not. Maybe it's time to acknowledge others when they do something for us, be they big things, or are just simple gestures that show us courtesy and/or respect. Maybe rebuilding the foundations can make us all feel part of "we" and "us" and bring back the strength of this great nation. It won't take place overnight, and it won't happen in one fell swoop. It will be gradual, but it has to start somewhere. I also know many will think this is purely idealistic, and it may even be a dream, but most great things that have happened in our lives, and in this country, have usually started with a dream. Who knows?