I Am...

I am...

(1) ...a person who stops at all stop signs.

(2) ...a person who prefers to drive the speed limit.

(3) ...a person who cannot lie.

(4) ...a person who stops to say, "Hi, how are you?" to the cleaning lady.

(5) ...a person who says, "Good morning," and "Thank you," to the bus driver.

(6) ...a person who says, "Please."

(7) ...a person who will not interrupt you when you pull out your cellphone and start texting while 'talking' to me.

(8) ...a person who is either on time or early.

(9) ...a person who hates to skip class.

(10) ...a person who never uses swear words.

I see nothing wrong with this. Why are these traits dying out in society? Is the dearth of common politeness due to the increasing globalization and secularization of the world, or the increasing busy-ness and laziness of people? Or are there causes I cannot yet think of?

Even so, it makes me mourn.

I began reflecting on this matter the other day as I was coming out of a building on campus. It was ten till the hour, so a flood of students were going out the main door of the building along with me. I noticed the cleaning lady standing off to the side, holding the Windex and cloth she would shortly use to clean off the glass doors. She was waiting for all the students to go by. I had seen her several times before and spoken briefly to her, although I still do not know her name.

Everyone else was walking right past her as if she did not exist. Granted, many were talking to their friends or on their phones, but others just ignored her. It was as if they could not see her. They could not even smile and say, "Hi." So I made a point of stopping and saying, "Hello, how are you?"

I always say, "Thank you," to the cashiers. These workers are people like us, deserving of a little basic courtesy.

Why is the courtesy always gone?

In Pace Christi,

Elyse