July 22, 2006

Two polite people and a set of double doors

I'm 47 yrs old and I'm a bit old fashion when it comes to manners. To me manners are the simple rules the assist people live together in this world. They aren't hard. Most stem back to the simple thought that you should treat others the way you would like to be treated.

When my children were going up manners were inforced. Please may I haves and thank yous were something you said to brothers and sisters. The teachers in school were always telling me, "Your daughter/son is so polite. It's a pleasure to have him/her in class."

When a waitress brings me water I say thank you. Guy at the grocery store bags my groceries? Thank you. It's part of their job but good manners dictate that I thank people for doing nice things for me. Please and thank you's make the world go round.

I hold elevators, pick up things that people drop in front of me, say hi to strangers, and wave at my mailman if I happen to see him one my walk around the block. I don't think this makes me a wonderful person; it's just the way my parents raised me.

So this morning after playing at the park with my grandsons I stopped at Dunkin Donuts to pick up a couple blueberry muffins for my youngest daughter. I got to the outer door to go in the same time someone was opening the inner door to go out. Of course I didn't even look up, I just automatically stopped, took a step to the side (figuring the person coming out probably had a tray of coffee and box of donuts), and held the door waiting. No one came forward. Hummmm.

I looked up and there in front of me holding the inner door open and stepping to one side was a guy who had to be about 75 yrs old, a cane in one hand, hat in the other. What to do? An issue one almost never runs into. Two polite people holding different doors for each other. I smiled and moved forward thanking him and wishing him well for the day. Sometimes the most polite thing you can do is accept kindness from a stranger.

3 comments:

gypsyknits said...

I agree with the whole manner thing. My 4 kids were raised with manners and we have received the same comments. Where are manners today? Gone! But of course it all begins at home.

monica said...

We are raising our kids to be polite too. And you are right, it is wonderful to here how well they behave in public. What a shame it is that being polite seems to be a thing of the past.

Karen said...

I'm raising my 2 kids with manners and that you respect other people too. I have been told for many years now how nice and polite my children are, it's a wonderful feeling.