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Looking for Common Courtesy

November 28, 2012 by OneMommy

 

 

There were 5 people ahead of me in the customer service line, and several behind me.  I was starting to second guess those high-heeled boots I hadn’t worn in ages…

That’s when she walked up to the counter, seemingly oblivious to the line of others who had been waiting.

I’m sure she was in a hurry.  But then, there were probably others in the line who had places they had to be.  Myself, I just wanted to return my item and get the groceries done so I could go home and take off those boots…

What I couldn’t understand is why she thought she was so important that she didn’t need to wait in line.

As a new employee entered the customer service area and proceeded to deal with this customer, the lady behind me in line and I started to talk.  “It’s a whole new world,” she commented.  “One where it’s always me, me, me…”

 

Sadly, I have to agree with her.  And it seems to get worse this time of year.  People rushing, trying to get their shopping done…  More cars trying to get through the yellow lights instead of stopping.   Unkind gestures as cars zoom around each other.  Shorter tempers at the checkout line.

At a time of year when we should be striving to help one another…where we sing songs of good will and peace, we have lost sight of what it all means.

I don’t want to be one of those people.

So, even though my feet were definitely NOT happy when I finally got to the front of the line, I smiled at the employee behind the counter when it was my turn.  And I made sure to wish him a good day before I left.

And when I noticed an elderly lady who had just put her groceries in the car, I offered to take her cart back for her.  I’d like to think it’s a chain, and that maybe if enough good links get put back into it, there will be less of those “me, me, me” links left to tarnish it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Parenting & Life Tagged With: holiday, kindness, shopping

Comments

  1. brittney says

    November 28, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Good for you 🙂 I think the more kind acts we show than possible others will follow suit!

    • OneMommy says

      November 30, 2012 at 11:38 am

      I hope so! It just seems lately that common courtesy has flown out the window!

  2. Kristen says

    November 28, 2012 at 1:53 pm

    I love your heart! Your children will see that and they will become a part of the good chain and not a link in the me, me, me chain. Keep spreading that heart and those smiles and I will too! I know it makes my heart a lot happier to be a part of something good than to be only focused on myself.

  3. Barbara says

    November 28, 2012 at 4:12 pm

    Sometimes I wonder where the common courtesy went? I love your outlook, it hopefully is a chain.

    • OneMommy says

      November 30, 2012 at 11:41 am

      I’d like to hope it is! I know store employees seem to get quite a bit of it at this time of year, so I’m trying to be especially polite to them.

  4. Bev says

    November 28, 2012 at 4:17 pm

    Stopping by from SITS. I have definitely had many interactions with entitled people who think the world revolves around them. That’s wonderful though that you didn’t let that person spoil your mood. It was like a reverse pay-it-forward (if that makes any sense).

  5. Julie Moore says

    November 28, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    I know exactly how that goes! And when you do offer a kindness, whether it be a smile, offering someone with a lot less to purchase than you to go ahead of you in line or offer to help someone get to their car, they look at you like you’ve grown 2 heads or like you’re trying to rob them. It’s so sad! I long for the day when an act of kindness is just accepted with a thank you and a smile and not suspicion.

    • OneMommy says

      November 30, 2012 at 11:43 am

      LOL — You’re right! The lady whose cart I took back looked at me like I might try to take her purse next. It’s sad that it’s become like that.

  6. Shell says

    November 28, 2012 at 7:53 pm

    I think those small gestures can make a difference!

    • OneMommy says

      November 30, 2012 at 11:49 am

      I like to think so!

  7. jen says

    November 28, 2012 at 8:49 pm

    Amen to this post.
    I hate when this happens but sometimes I just take a deep breath and think be nice, be kind and remind myself maybe I’m judging (which is usually my first instinct) and that’s not to great a thing to do either!

    Then I try to temper my judgmental nature with the realities of life we can only control my own actions and the rest is up to the others. All we can do is hope they’re watching as we try to be better people. I believe your chain believe is the only way to go.

    • OneMommy says

      November 30, 2012 at 11:44 am

      Oh, it is so easy to judge, isn’t it? I try to remind myself that, too, when a car zips around me…Maybe they are rushing to the hospital…

  8. Rach says

    November 28, 2012 at 10:25 pm

    I love that your response to seeing a selfish act was to be self-less! To be friendly and courteous and especially to help the elderly lady with her cart. What a great attitude!

  9. Single Mom in the South says

    November 29, 2012 at 6:20 am

    Good for you for trying to break the chain.

  10. NJ @ A Cookie Before Dinner says

    November 29, 2012 at 1:49 pm

    Aw man that is annoying! The “me” people really grill my cheese some days. Great idea to pay it forward! I’m stopping by today from Pour Your Heart Out.

  11. Adrienne says

    November 30, 2012 at 3:22 pm

    I can’t handle this kind of stuff. It drives me crazy and puts me in a bad mood. I shop online. Always! 🙂 Stopping by (super late) from Shell’s place.

    • OneMommy says

      December 3, 2012 at 9:24 pm

      It’s one reason I get all my shopping done by the start of December. The rest is all online, like you said.

  12. OneMommy says

    December 3, 2012 at 9:18 pm

    Modeling for them is so important!

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