Practicing civility

Yesterday, after Mike shared a frustrating and scary story on how rude our world has become, I realized that many of us are guilty of engaging in insensitive and inappropriate behavior - many times without even realizing it.

We don't give a second thought to flipping off another driver on the road who we perceive as a hindrance. Abrasive bosses feel entitled to treat their employees in a disrespectful manner, overlooking that those employees are people with feelings. Cell phone addicts feel obligated to loudly share their most intimate of conversations - ones that would never be exchanged at a dinner table - with complete strangers and drive-thru lane attendants. We scream at wait-staff when our food at a restaurant isn't delivered as quickly as we think it should. We overlook the frail or impaired or aged and any special needs they may have. We neglect saying "please" and "thank you." We abuse our planet and its resources with complete disregard of the long-term effects.

Would it kill us to think about someone other than ourselves - or beyond those who exist in our little microcosms? Seriously, would it?

Obviously it wouldn't harm us, but, as more and more people become absorbed in their lives and scurry from appointment A to appointment B, common courtesies fall by the wayside and it becomes almost acceptable to be rude because you're too busy to be pleasant to another person who is as equally pressed for time. Or, when pleasantries are exchanged, they're perfunctory and most times not sincere in the least.

I have no idea why I've stopped to take notice to all of society's civil infractions, but I have. And, I'm not saying that I'm without fault, because I am most certainly far from perfect and have committed many social blunders that I wish I could undo. But, I'm hoping that I can take my raised awareness and do my part to not further perpetuate this frightening conduct that is running rampant.

If someone is gracious enough to bring me food that I didn't have to cook, I'm certainly not going to yell at them if the service is slightly slower than I might like; I'm not the only customer, after all. It takes practically no effort on my part to thank a helpful employee at the drugstore or to offer a heart-felt smile to the coffee shop clerk who has brightened my morning by handing me a hot cup of java. I will happily hold the door at the market for an elderly person or a pregnant woman, rather than rushing through in front of them so they don't slow me down. I'm not above properly discarding a piece of trash left behind by a frazzled businessperson. And, if hurried drivers feel their travels are of more significance than my own, I'll politely signal a lane change to move out of their path.

I've been both a recipient and perpetrator of uncivil actions in the past, but I want to change that by treating everyone I encounter in a polite manner - even when my patience and time are pushed to the limits.

Will you do your part, too?