Today’s world is
considered are global village hence we are not limited to only what happens our
immediate environment but also what happens elsewhere. We are expected to think
globally and act locally but there are certain values which are considered
global. In this piece I try to put together certain deeds that make people
around us feel like human beings.
Say please: Saying please when
requesting others to do something for you is a sure way to getting them to do
it even if they don’t feel like it. Saying please shows the other person that
you respect them and that you are not using them as a means to achieve your
goal.
I am sorry: As human as we are, we are
imperfect. From time to time we offend the people around us. Learning to say
sorry and saying it at the right time helps to sustain the relationship we have
with people we may have offended. Some people think that by saying sorry we are
demeaning ourselves but rather the opposite happens. It tells the person you
have offended that you have a fellow feeling and that you care about how they
feel. When we offend other people, in most cases is the person at the receiving
end of the offence who suffers because it is the ego that is hurt. By refusing
to say sorry you make them go through moments of emotional pain and loss of
self-respect.
Say thank you: Saying thank you is one
the most important etiquette every human being can learn. Since we are
interdependent on each other, it is the case that people will offer you
services that you may not be able to offer yourself. Saying thank you for such
deed tells the other person that you appreciate what they have done for you and
that they are one of a kind. By refusing to say thank you, you are not only
considered as ungrateful but also you deny others of the opportunity to
experience the similar favour from your benefactor and other people who will be
informed of your ungratefulness.
Always lend help if you can: Make it
part of your plan every day to at least give help to one person who cannot pay
you back either in kind or in cash. When we are kind to others merely due to
the fact that they can pay us back then we have already received our reward
here on earth. The Bible makes it emphatically clear in Ephesians 6:8 “Knowing
that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord,
whether he is a slave or free”. This means that the good we do unto others
will come back to us in equal measure pressed down and shaken but the motive
for doing good must not be because we will receive reward since it makes us
selfish.
Give your seat to others: Growing up as
a kid, it was highly distasteful for a child to sit whiles an adult stood.
Children were expected to give their seats to adults. The only condition under
which an adult stood and a child sat was on health grounds or if the adult
refused the offer but these days that culture is gradually changing. Young
people don’t deem it necessary to offer such gestures to adults. This is a
clear indication that we care less about each other.
Learn to pronounce people’s name correctly:
The sweetest words for everyone is their name. Most people find it very
offensive when their names are pronounced wrongly. A good rule of thumb is to
ask the person to pronounce their name to you. That way the chances that you
will make mistakes are minimized.
Pay attention: In this day and age
where we are surrounded by technology, it a common sight to see people not
paying attention during conversations. The average person has one of these
three devices; a phone, tablet or a PC and is on various social media platforms.
This means that people are increasingly engaged in virtual conversations.
Platforms like Whatapp and Facebook can be very addictive and hence make us
spend less and less time with our loved ones. These devices and platforms are
good but we need to manage them otherwise they will manage us. Texting and
whatsapping has created problems for some marriage couples. A good rule will be
to agree with your partner that phones are not allowed in bed.
Don’t interrupt others when they are
speaking. Not training your child not to get into conversations they are
not invited to can be very embarrassing at times for parents. Sometimes parents
are not discrete about sensitive conversations at home. They allow children to
sit around whiles such conversations are going on thinking that they are not
listening to what is going on. Children being inquisitive listen in on these
conversations and blow the whistle at unusual place causing parents a lot of embarrassment.
Excuse me. Learning to say excuse me
when it matters is very important. It will prevent you from making unwanted
enemies.
Avoid bad comments about others. Always
learn to say good things about other people. If you don’t have anything good to
say, don’t talk. Learning to love others as yourself will help you not to fall
into this trap and also avoiding the company of people who are always speaking
evil of others helps a lot. Remember, they will say the say the things about
you in your absence.
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