"If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them." - Francis Bacon, Sr.
Question: How many times in a day are you courteous to others? Do you give up your seat for an elderly person on the bus or just sit there and pretend you don't see them looking for a seat? Do you respond to a homeless person that speaks to you or just treat them as though they were less than human?
Not long ago, it seems that being courteous was a common occurrence in daily life. Today, that's not so much the way things are. Whatever happened to help your fellow man? Perhaps it's due the media an exceedingly good job at striking fear into our hearts. So much so that we've become apprehensive about helping anyone lest we become a victim in spite of our own innate generosity and kindness.
Even in our own homes it seems that common courtesy has been replaced by animosity, cynicism and rudeness. When did it become second nature to belittle one another? When did we decide as a society that it was better to ridicule our family members to make ourselves look good?
We have to rethink this people! We need to get back to basics and strip ourselves of this burning need to be unkind and distrustful. We need to open our hearts and minds to the possibility that ALL people possess the innate quality of goodness. If you can't be courteous for someone else's sake then by all means, be selfish! Do it because it'll make YOU feel better while leaving the other person feeling appreciated and motivated to do the same for others. Meditate on This: I choose to be courteous to all beings, great and small, in honor of my Divine nature.
Have a PERFECT day!
Michael
My II Sense
When I was a child, my grandmother often told me to treat everyone with courtesy and respect even if they refused to show me the same courtesy and respect. Her reasoning was that God often sends angels to earth, and I never knew when I was in the the presence of an angel and was being tested. I'm not sure if I bought into the whole angels part, but I have always attempted to obey my grandmother so I complied.
ReplyDeleteBut you are right. Treating each other with respect and dignity has all but gone out of the window. Human beings have begun to treat each other like dirt. However, I have found it less taxing and less stressful to smile, to have a kind word for people I meet, to treat others just as I want to be treated.
Thanks Max. I think we are slowly but surely making the shift back to being more courteous and respectful to one another. I see it more frequently now than I have in previous years. Perhaps because there are those out there that refuse to let the need for it die.
ReplyDeleteThe more others see you doing it the more likely it is that that will be inclined to do it too. It's like that bank commercial where someone sees a good deed and plays it forward to someone else. We can use that same influence with courtesy as well!
This is so true, Mike. I can't put my finger on it, but common courtesy has slowly eroded over the years. I refuse to believe people are that busy that they can't take the time to be respectful to others. I even find the same thing at work. The reward is great if we follow the simple things in life that matter.
ReplyDeleteYou better believe it Mel! Society takes to doing things the easy way instead of the right way most times. I still believe that there are more people in the world than not that care about others, strive to be courtesy on the reg and just have a peaceful disposition overall. Thanks to both you and Max for commenting; I appreciate it.
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