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Good manners cost nothing. So why not be a little extravagant with them?
It's a phenomenon I've noticed a number of times. The frantic clerk who pauses for a moment while a simple expression of gratitude sinks into her consciousness. The initial bewilderment passes, and relief sets in. A smile in return, she squares her shoulders and goes back about her business with renewed energy. In my mind, there's a difference between etiquette and good manners. To me, etiquette is the lists of do's and don'ts of polite society. Good manners, on the other hand, is what prevents us from pointing out other's etiquette mistakes in a way that would be embarrassing to them. And while there may be huge differences in accepted etiquette from country to country, good manners have a more universal acceptance. The Japanese are generally considered to be among the most polite people on earth. With over 126 million people living together on a fairly small island, they must be doing something right. Etiquette in Japan is fascinating reading, even if you never plan to go there. Even in North America, etiquette can be a little complicated. Something as basic as eating dinner, for example, can become a daunting challenge if you're suddenly face-to-face with a myriad of strange-looking food and even stranger-looking cutlery. If you've been eating a few too many meals in front of your computer, you may even want to review one of the many dining etiquette websites out there in cyberspace. At my son's elementary school, the children have been taught to remove their hats when they enter the building. Amazingly adept at generalizing some of what he learns, my son now takes off his cap when he enters the school, someone's house, the shopping mall, and the nursing home where my mother lives. I see him wander the halls, cap in hand, while we search for his roving Granny Annie. For some reason, it's one of those funny little pictures that embeds itself into a mom's heart, and I don't think the image would be as strong if my son's cap were still on his head. No doubt considered sexist by some, the custom of men removing their hats can seem such a simple, even silly thing nowadays. And yet whenever I see it done, I am charmed by the courtliness of the gesture. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Talk Is Cheap in Thrifty Living is owned by Donna Dunn. Permission to republish Talk Is Cheap in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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