Let’s not give up on courtesy, manners

When I was 5 and tired of calling all adults “ma’am and sir,” or getting up to give my seat on the bus to senior adult, I asked my grandpa Charlie, “Why do I have to be polite all the time?” He replied, “Because it’s a crowded world, honey, and getting more crowded all the time. If we didn’t have social manners and care for others, it would become a terrible world to live in.”

He was right! In those days, parents still taught their children an important human and social trait: concern and courtesy for others. Today, however, we live in a society of instant gratification, greed and ungracious, selfish behavior (i.e. reality shows that embarrass and hurt others).

Whatever happened to being a lady or gentleman? When did we forget that caring for our fellow humans is essential in a crowded society? For what it’s worth, I still smile if I pass a stranger. Grandpa also said that we smile at others because it says “I’m OK, you’re OK … and unless you prove different, I believe it.” A smile makes a lonely person feel good, an angry person calm down, and the sun shine a little brighter.

I know I can’t change the world, but I can certainly try to change the immediate world around me — and it starts with a smile!

Terri Reynolds