Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
~Mark Twain
I am forever surprised at the lack of gratitude that people show to simple acts of kindness. And we call ourselves 'modern' and 'literate' and other choicest words.
All it takes is a small smile, a nod of the head, a little word 'thank you'. You may not mean it from the bottom of the heart - if that is the case - but atleast it tells the other person that you noticed his/her act of kindness.
Small things matter. Someone holds the door open for you not because they are duty-bound but just because of their good breeding. Someone lets you get ahead in the queue just because they think they can afford to wait those few extra minutes. Or someone lets you get on to the road, even when you are on the wrong, 'cos they obviously have a better sense of right. All these small acts, done out of habit, or consideration for the other person, deserve a little word of 'thanks'.
I wonder if it is just lack of good manners or total disregard for courtesy. I have often found the people on the receiving end of such simple acts of kindness chose to ignore them, not even make eye contact and take full advantage of it. You hold the door open for someone, and the next person or persons in line just walk out of the door, without as much as a look at you, making you feel totally like an unpaid doorman (don't you think even a paid doorman needs some acknowledgment? he is human indeed and not a door fixture!). Incredibly guilty I say.
Be kind to the fellow man. You are not parting with your money, just a few words. Put your ego on the hold for few seconds.
11 comments:
Hi Rohini,
Thats well said, you put it short and straight.
I thing i can add smthing here.. ppl who r not habituate of thanking those door-men or so, if once they start doing it they get good stifaction and happiness as well.its unseen but very important being humans.. at least i felt the satisfaction many times when i greet them with simple smile and thank you..
Good post..
Good point pramoda! Righly put. It does make you feel really good to acknowledge somebody for their kind heart.
Well said,Rohini.There can be no two opinions on this
@KP - thanks! this has happened to me so many times this week, it is most annoying! But of course I will still hold the door open to the next person, for that is just me. :)
Yes Rohini, you said pretty well. I agree with you. Appreciate the one who take care of less previleged. It reminded one article read long back in Hindu Open page.
Regards
I agree with you that people fail to acknowledge those little acts of kindness, or maybe friendliness that's shown by keeping the doors open or getting into the queue etc...but then, i guess most of us are too busy to even notice these little gestures these days...blame it all on the busy world....
send them to me, I'll train them social skills. Nice post, this shd definitely go to the soft boards in schools and colleges, let children, at the budding stage learn it. it's easy. ppl with attitudes n egos find it hard to learn.
nice nice.
@caterpillar - hmm.. maybe we aren't really all that busy. maybe we just pretend to be, like forever being hooked onto the cellphone, always listening to music etc etc.
@sans - yes sans. kids should always be taught to be polite, to say their 'please' and their 'thank you' and more importantly to do it even with strangers, not just family members.
There is another type too...A person who is extra decent outside, with absolute discipline, slams the door behind him on his wife's face...
Why some forget to follow the same discipline and show some manners at home too...Why holding just a door open for ur family being considered a NO-NO by some chauvanists...
Am I being a Feminist here...
Indeed it is strange that this is something we r taught from kinder garden level and yet the higher we go, less importance is paid to virtues like kindness, gratitude or selflessness...we actually need to look deep down within ourselves and mark our own actions let peace prevail.
well penned! will be visiting ur blog more often :)
sarah
@J - hah.. that person might just be taking his wife for granted. I am hoping that he is not so cruel hearted as to ignore being kind to her completely :) and you are not being a feminist here - for a feminist would say nobody need hold the door open for a woman. :)
@ss - hello! and welcome to my blog. You are absolutely right, we tend to neglect all the good within us. Dig deep and pay some attention to the people around you is what I would say. Hope to hear more from you here. :)
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