Manners, Big & Small

January 5, 2016

20160105-071544.jpg The above dish towel a best-seller this season at the shops, which got me thinking of manners. Sadly, retail during the holidays can bring out the very worst in manners. Such as the mom who allowed her young daughter to run around the Market shop, who then knocked over a $60 bottle of bubble bath, which shattered into a zillion pieces getting bubble bath and glass everywhere, stating “anyone can knock something down,” as she headed out the door without offering help to clean it up or to pay for the broken item. Or the countless number of folks, young and old, who were on their cell phone talking from the moment they walked into the door, continuing as we would be ringing them through and wrapping their gifts, just taking enough time to toss us their credit card, take a breath, and then continue their cellphone conversation at full voice. Have modern times done away with manners? I think not, but some of the scenarios I witnesses this season make me double-check my own. Manners to me have so much to do with how you make those around you feel. A “thank you” makes the other person feel good. Manners also show respect to the other person. I think manners allows us to show kindness to other people, in very simple ways. Like holding the door open for the people behind you, female or male. Manners are here to stay, I know they are. They make those around us feel good & respected, what could be better than that?