Two nights ago, my sister, Carla, and I pulled into a restaurant's parking lot to meet a friend for dinner. The lot was full, and Carla waited patiently for a departing patron to back out of a parking spot. At that moment, another driver, who had just arrived, pulled into the spot.
Her rudeness startled us. I caught a glimpse of the driver, a well-coiffed, well-dressed woman and found myself thinking, "Where are your manners?"
I compared her thoughtlessness to that of another driver on a different occasion, who allowed me to pull in front of him when I needed to change lanes. I waved my thanks through the rear-view mirror, and he waved back.
Manners are more than meaningless gestures, as some people claim. Manners--both good and bad--define us in important ways. How we treat others is a mark of character, or lack of the same. Good manners smooth the rough bumps of life.
When growing up, I was taught the importance of saying, "Please" and "Thank you." Such simple words. As I grew older, I began to better understand the significance of them.
Are they not the same words we use when addressing our Father in Heaven in prayer?
We thank Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon us, and we ask Him for His continued blessings.
I am certainly not a paragon. Like the lady I described above, I am sometimes thoughtless. Then I try again, asking the Father for His help in doing better.
So, for today, I am grateful for people who touch my life with their kindness.
This reminds me of the song, "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile". I think that the charity behind the smile is even more important. Here's to fully-dressed people!
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