Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Shhhhhhhh...................................

When I was doing my twenty mile run on Saturday I found a set of keys. Along with the keys there were some of those store things that one swipes for discounts, and the electronic key card for the library. Small town and all I took the keys up to the library so they could scan the card and get the keys back to the owner.

After I turned in the keys I decided to check out a couple of my favorite authors and see if they had released any new books. As I was looking I couldn't help but be distracted by two girls making (very) loud conversation. Since they were discussing college subjects I think they were old enough to know better. It took much restraint on my part to not go over and start grilling them on did they know where they were, and didn't their mother's raise them to be respectful, blah, blah, yada, yada. Instead I ask the librarian to ask them to tone it down.

Why is it that these simple social graces have seemed to have disappeared? I have no problem with whispering in the library (though in a movie theater even whispering is not cool in my book), but I had no need or desire to get all the dirt on their instructors six rows away from them. This ranks right up there with walking out in the middle of a concert performance. Wait for the song to end and sneak out during the applause would you? Whether you have an appreciation for the event or are just their because your kid is in the band does not negate the fact that someone on that stage worked long and hard to get there and it is just plain rude to leave in the middle of their moment.

Simple acts of respect can go a long way to making this world a better place. I won't disrespect you by listing the many that one will see in an average day. You can fill in your own three most annoying. 1, 2, 3,...

It may be old school, but the Golden Rule still has a place in our society. Or at least it should.

3 comments:

Daniele said...

social graces? I call it manners. Simple manners that people no longer seem to have.
I notice this almost every day. At work, doors are slammed in your face, what about holding a door for someone you can SEE right behind you, or holding the elevator for someone you can SEE walking towards it, instead of pushing the button quickly so you don't have to spend .. oh 10 seconds with someone in an elevator. I don't get these things at all and I often want to ask people who the hell raised them! Cause they sure didn't do a very good job. See .. I get all agitated. This is one of my pet peeves, this subject. Drives me crazy.
Traffic is another one.. but I won't bore you.

Patty said...

Kindred souls Dee!

Think what our world would be like if each of us did just one of those things everyday. A billion plus acts of kindness... Now that would be Heaven on Earth. Keep praying for loving kindness to catch on as the norm and not the exception. It can happen.

Rajesh &Shankari said...

Hi Patty

How are you doing?