America’s continued national success is dependent on all of us—the American people.
Our American people are what makes America a great nation. We have a beautiful land, plenty of natural resources and a great heritage. Yet, it is our everyday actions that make America great.
Everyday actions make a difference. For example, do not randomly beep your car horn at people. You never know what someone in front of you is dealing with. Possibly, they are not in as big a hurry as you. Maybe they are trying to obey the speed limit. Perhaps they are elderly and they have slowed down a bit in life. Riding their bumper and beeping your horn never makes the situation better. You will not advance yourself any faster plus you will only frustrate the driver in front of you and yourself. Lay back, relax and wait for an opportunity to safely pass the car.
Do not fight with people at the restaurant buffet. Buffets typically have more than enough. I seldom have seen a skinny person filling his or her plate at the buffet. There is no need to rush in front of people to get a spoonful of mashed potatoes. Bide your time, be patient in line and your opportunity to select your chicken or ribs will come.
I found myself in a buffet line on a cruise ship not long ago, and began to think that David surely wrote Psalm 23 while navigating a cruise ship’s dessert section.
Open the door for people but stand and wait for someone to open one for you. Be the one who opens the door and encourage the person close by to go ahead of you. Pushing ahead of someone often prompts them to push forward and there is nothing gained by everyone trying to push forward ahead of the other, except ill will.
Say thank you a lot and use kind words often.
We all have the ability to complain and sometimes we have to complain or nothing gets done. When there is a big pothole in your road then kindly ask the highway department to fix it. Try kindness, speaking respectfully and writing kind letters. Be very nice. You can always get ticked off and angry if there is no other alternative. However, usually there is higher road that we can take and in the end we will feel better if a positive result was met without having to act crazy.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is a good Bible rule that works well in all aspects of life. Treat people the way you like to be treated. If we, the American people, will do so, our country will run more smoothly, peacefully and happily.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is the author of “Uncommon Sense” and 13 other books.