Well, I honestly wonder about a LOT of things, usually quite randomly, but mostly I wonder about PEOPLE. I wonder about the awful things that people DO to one another. I wonder about the awful things people SAY to one another. I wonder about the really amazing things that people do for one another. I have been witness to a whole lot of all of these...but mostly the really awful stuff.
Okay, so I grew up in the country, and I am very proud of that fact. I was raised to be a basically kind person...I was taught right from wrong and I was taught basic manners. When and where I grew up, this was the rule. It has now become the exception, and this pisses me OFF!! What I consider to be "common courtesy" is simply not common practice anymore.
You see, I work in public service and I have done so for about the last 15 years. In general, I see the very worst of people. But there have been a few exceptions to that...and these infrequent exceptions are what allows me to keep at least a wee bit of faith in humanity. It's out there, it's just not very visible, and it does not happen very often.
So this all comes to my question....How do we overcome this and revert back to a way of thinking and acting that is not completely divisive to our fellow man? I have no idea how this happens society-wide, but the best way to accomplish something as huge as this is to start with the smallest of steps. I can endeavour to stick to my own guns, and to not lose heart and give up on others. It is a basic lead by example issue. I feel like if enough people PRACTICE common courtesy, it will rub off on others a little bit at a time. For those with children, or in a position to influence children, you should be even more vigilant about this than the average Joe.
So, as cheesy as it sounds...practice those random acts of kindness and common courtesy daily. It may just rub off on enough people around us to make a difference, even if that difference is only for yourself and that one other person.
So that's what I was wondering about today...such deep thoughts it hurts my feeble brain. LOL
Good night and God bless!!
Ang
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I can only imagine the things you see in your line of work....it makes me shudder to think! As a parent, I agree with you about influencing our children. Some days, I feel I'm doing okay, then I hear them talk to one another and *sigh* think I'm not doing good enough! I guess if I have to pick between kids who behave better for me and kids who behave better for others, I will pick the latter! I do strive to be an example, but there are times I have to apologize to my kids (and others) for my behavior.
ReplyDeleteHere! Here! I gripe about the decline of common courtesy all the time! It's ridiculous. I blame technology. I think as we get more and more technologically advanced we lose our grip on humanity piece by piece. It's sad but true. Oh how I long for the days of "please" and "thank you" and full service gas stations. Remember those? Now we can pull up, pump gas, pay, etc. and never interact with another human even once. We've become disconnected as a society. I don't even really know how to talk on the phone anymore - everyone always texts or emails or Facebooks. I fear this will only get worse as we continue to "(de)evolve."
ReplyDeleteClaud--I think you and Scott do a great job with the kids, all in all. There is just no way to be perfect all the time!! There are just too many parents that don't set rules and boundaries with their kids, and it shows... It actually makes me blink and stop a minute now when a young person says "yes, ma'am", "no ma'am", "please" or "thank you". It just makes me sad...
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