Courtesy
“Please” and “Thank you” such simple, easy words to use. Polite, courteous words, that are seemingly used less these days.
Courtesy can be such a balm of connection and pleasure even in the most difficult of social and intimate discourse. It is freely available. It has great power. Yet, it often appears starkly absent in the thrust of dogmatic opinion.
“If we accept being talked to any kind of way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And if we have the effrontery to talk to anybody with less than courtesy, we tell ourselves and the world we are not very intelligent.” ~Maya Angelou
It is one matter to be taught and to learn courteous behaviors, it is quite another to integrate them into the art of daily living. However, it is a very worthwhile endeavor as courteous behaviors engender unbiased respect, tolerance for ambiguity, peaceful discourse and greater appreciation and gratitude for diversity.
“Courtesy is a silver lining around the dark clouds of civilization, it is the best part of refinement and in many ways, an art of heroic beauty in the vast gallery of man’s cruelty and baseness.” ~Bryant H. McGill
My gracious ‘thank you’ to all of you for your ongoing support, today and everyday.
“Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart.” ~Henry Clay
I am grateful!
Blessings to all for a week full of simple and tender courtesies.
