Put a Little Please on That ... Please

So ... I wrote tonight's post last night ... actually, I wrote tonight's post several times last night and then I deleted it. I wish I could say I deleted the multiple iterations of the words that flew from my fingers last night accidentally, but that would be nothing short of a complete and utter lie. Nope, I didn't accidentally tap the key that removed the post I desperately wanted to title "If You Can't Be Kind and Treat People with Respect, Shut Your Stupid Mouth or I Will Shut it for You" ... I deleted the words I wrote last night because I was flipping, stinking, over-the-top angry, and that's not the place I want to write from. My feathers are still way more than a little bit ruffled concerning my subject matter this evening and I most definitely have some things to say, but I'm writing from a place of hope tonight rather than a place of anger. I hope you'll give serious consideration to the thoughts I'm sharing this evening ... I'm not asking you to agree with me ... I'm just asking you to think ... just think, that's all I'm asking you to do ... just think.

My three children are not, nor have they ever been, nor will they ever be, perfect. They don't always say or do the right things, and they most certainly don't always say or do the things I want them to say or do. But for all of their quirky behavior and all of the crazy things they say, there's one thing I can always count on from them ... my kiddos are polite and they are respectful to others. They say please and thank you, and get this ... they even remind me on occasion that I need to be kind and respectful to others as well, especially when it comes to the others who aren't always very kind or respectful to me. I can't remember now where or when or how or why or from whom the phrase originated, but I do know that I never tired of hearing my children say, "Put a little please on that," whenever any of us momentarily forgot to preface a request with that one remarkable, short, magical, attitude-altering word ... please.

I'm well aware that we live in a fast-paced, hurry up, tyranny of the urgent world ... trust me, I'm abundantly aware that many people feel they don't have enough time in a day to do whatever it is they feel is so critically important that they do. And I'm sure that for at least some people, they legitimately don't have enough time to cross everything off of their to do list each day. But you know what? I don't give a red hot tamale's rear-end how little time a person thinks they have or how important they think their to do list is or what a big deal they think they are or how smart they think they are or how good-looking they think they are or any of a million other excuses they may use, there's no true reason ... and I do mean reason and not excuse ... for being rude or impolite or disrespectful or condescending. It's not okay to treat family that way ... it's not okay to treat friends that way ... it's not okay to treat neighbors that way ... it's not okay to treat co-workers that way ... it's not okay to treat the cashier at the grocery store that way ... it's not okay to treat a homeless person that way ... it's not okay to treat the person next to you on the bus that way ... it's not okay to treat anyone that way. It's just plain old downright not okay to be rude, disrespectful, impolite, condescending or mean ... it's just not okay.

So here's the thing ... words have the power to help or hurt, to build up or beat down, to encourage or destroy ... the choice is up to you. Treat other people the way you want to be treated ... my guess is that no one likes being treated with disrespect, and I'm beyond sure that no one likes to be made to feel like they are less deserving of respect than someone else. It's easy ... really it is ... just be kind to people and show them respect. How hard can that be? Really? Seriously? How hard can that really, seriously be?

Please think about putting a little please on everything you say or do ... please. And say thank you ... please. And wash your hands after you go to the bathroom ... please. Just think ... that's all I'm asking you to do ... just think about the difference you could make in the lives of those around you if you would just be kind ... please. Put a little please on that, friends ... please, please, please put a little please on that ... I promise you won't regret it.