BY KYLE LOVERN
Times have changed with many things in our society, but whatever happened to teaching our youngsters good manners or being considerate of others?
Simple acts of kindness should never go out of style.
Growing up, many of us “baby boomers” were taught certain manners and being nice to other people, especially the elderly.
We never thought of questioning a teacher or adult. That just wasn’t what you did. You showed your respect.
Little things like opening the door for a lady or just holding it open for the next person coming in are just polite. It does not take much effort. I know some feminists may not like this, but who cares? I’m sure most women, young or old, will not have a problem with a gentleman holding a door open for them.
Good etiquette is something we need to see again.
We were taught to say “please” and “thank you” from the time we could barely talk.
Simple acts of kindness can spread a little joy, especially in these troubled times.
How polite and kind are you?
Do you take your shopping cart back to one of the many racks available in the parking lot outside the grocery store? Or are you one of those who leave it to take up a parking space or start rolling only to dent a car later?
When you are in the grocery store and have several items at the checkout counter, and the person behind you only has a couple of things, do you let them go in front of you? I’ve had this done for me and have done the same for others. Those couple of minutes we give up won’t make that much difference in our busy lives.
How about seeing a vehicle having a tough time getting out of a parking lot? If you have the chance, do you stop and let them out?
Being courteous toward other people is easy with just a little effort.
Handshaking is a long-held tradition. I can draw the line at this since I consider myself a bit of a “germaphobe” and would prefer to just fist bump. Spreading germs is easy, and that goes back to anytime, even before COVID came into our lives. Colds, the flu, stomach bugs, and other illness are spread through handshaking. So maybe we can give some slack on this and just wave or fist bump.
Try not to interrupt someone in conversation. I have to watch myself on this one. I am a little ADD and my wife has to constantly remind me not to jump in with my comments. I get something on my mind or a thought, and I apparently need to burst it out without letting someone finish their statements. I’m working on this, but I apologize now if I’ve ever done this to you.
Of course, there are times someone may be going through a tough time. Give the person the benefit of the doubt. You don’t know what they’re going through. Perhaps it’s an illness, or they had little sleep. Be compassionate, even if you find it harder to do in this day and age.
If it’s a close friend or relative, let them know you understand they’re busy, but you’d like to talk to them about whatever is going on. Having an open discussion can prove very helpful.
Avoid using bad language. Inappropriate language can come across as rude, especially when you use it in public conversation. Try to eliminate curse words from your vocabulary while you’re talking with other people. You never know who may be deeply offended, and rightfully so. They could be very religious or were just not brought up in a household that used foul language.
Many people, especially the younger generation in today’s society, are always looking down at their phones. They constantly text, surf the internet or are on social media.
Let your children know there is a time they need to interact with family, friends and others. How about looking at people eye-to-eye and having an old-fashioned heart-to-heart conversation?
Just being polite and showing simple kindness can go a long way.
Let’s lead by example. Using good manners in our daily lives and teaching our children and grandchildren about their importance will bring good etiquette back into fashion.
(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)