June 10 - Lisa's Musings (on manners) and Every Day Life

If I were Supreme Ruler of the Universe, I'd pick a day in August and declare it International Mind Your Manners Day.

Why August? Because it's one of those months where there aren't a lot of holidays.

I'd make it an International PAID Holiday for everyone on the planet.

(Sorry about that essential emergency service people, I know you'd still have to work because thugs don't take holidays, people get into accidents, and can't plan when they'll get sick. And, yeah, it's summer, so gas station and hotel people, etc. would be on duty, too, but who works that day would be chosen through a lottery system and would get paid double.)

So, why an International Day of Manners?

Quite frankly, because people have gotten really, really rude and everyone needs to be reminded about common courtesy. While driving. While walking. While biking. While shopping. While dining.

Pretty much while living and breathing.

It would be a day spent being reminded of, participating in, and relearning manners.

A day that honors "Please" and "Thank You."

A day to go over a checklist of what constitutes bad manners -- things like tailgating, flipping off people, looking bored when others are speaking.

And, a day to honor what constitutes good manners. Things like allowing people to get out of parking spaces, spending that extra minute or two to let someone cross the street or turn left in front of you.

No getting angry allowed.

Mind Your Manners Day would include permission to smile at people who approach you on the street and wave at people you don't know just because it's a nice thing to do.

The holiday would include being patient with people who aren't moving as quickly as you'd like them to, or offering help others who look like they could use a hand unloading their cart at the grocery store, or whatever.

Remember when people held doors open for each other?

Feel free to add to the list of kind, good and mannerly behaviors. We can all use reminders once in a while. Even though good manners should be second nature.

And the best part? No need to spend money on presents or spend hours cooking special food. No guilt about who to invite or not invite to the house.

This International Day of Manners would be 24 hours of permission to do nothing in particular except kind things.

This is MY kind of holiday.