GREENSBORO, N.C. — It’s time for, ‘My 2 Cents.’
I think we’re losing our common courtesy. I’ve run into several instances in the past week where it seems traditional manners were forgotten.
Just this morning, I held the door open for two different people at the coffee shop, I even kept my distance with my mask on and made sure the glass door between us was acting as a barrier to make them feel comfortable, and they just charged out. No 'thank you,' no eye contact. It was odd. I don’t expect everyone to adhere to the same social contract that I was raised on, but rarely does it happen where two people don’t show appreciation for this common courtesy.
It goes beyond, 'please' and 'thank you,' though. Since when did we stop respecting a difference in opinion? I’m not saying you need to talk politics at the Thanksgiving dinner table but the world is full of people who think differently, believe different things and have different backgrounds. Even when we don’t agree or even understand their viewpoints, as decent humans we need to make sure respect and manners are part of our conversations or social exchanges with them.
Before I go I just want to remind you that people really appreciate it when you do the bare minimum: letting them speak, saying their names correctly, treating them like they are human and always being polite.