2014: Year of the Good Manners

So ends another year and a new thought for next year. Manners.

Is it really so hard to say “please” and “thank you”? 

I was taught you always use manners, and I taught my kids that as well.  There are a lot of people missing the boat.

So this year’s New Year’s Resolution is this:  Look for good manners being used and reward them.

Case in point:

I was at the Post Office, six days before Christmas to mail an small package. A woman ahead of me in line was carrying two of those really large specialty store bags, the ones with the actual handles on them full of presents.  I overheard her tell the lady behind her she did bother packaging any of them because it seemed whenever she got to the post office they always told her a different shipping box to put them in. So she was saving herself the trouble boxing them ahead of time.

She got up to the counter, after we all stood in a very long line for fifteen minutes and told the clerk she needed her presents boxed and which shipping method should she choose.  He very patiently told her he could not do that for her, the line was really long today, since it was just before Christmas, and she needed to box them in whatever shipping box she wanted. The boxes were just behind our line. And he proceeded to wait on the next person.

She didn’t argue, but sighed and began looking for boxes to use. Lo and behold, another woman and her daughter who were at the very end of our line began helping her pack her presents into shipping box.

Now that, friends is not only good manners, but generosity, love and helpfulness. They didn’t know each other, but this young woman was very gracious and instead of just waiting in line decided to do something helpful to another person.

Good manners, yup, that’s my theme for 2014.

Thank you!