Good manners

Good manner

Good manners are important for everyone

One day a little boy John, came home panting and grunting. He said, “Mother, there is a bad-mannered boy in the woods. He has insulted me. He abused me and used all kinds of dirty words. I have come to collect my hockey stick. I am going to search the woods for him. I shall teach him a lesson. How dare he speak to me like that"?

His mother smiled and asked, "Did he repeat everything that you said ?" 

Yes, mother. When I said he was egg-headed, he uttered the same." 

His mother said, "John, this time you have accused yourself, because all you heard was the echo of your own voice. If you had used nice words, the same would have come back to you. The conduct of others towards us is usually only an echo of our conduct towards them. If we are courteous with others, they will be courteous with us. But if we are rude, rough and slipshod, we can expect nothing better."

Give your best and the best will come back to you. Rude people do not humiliate their victims at all, but only reveal their own ill-bred natures. It is best to ignore them. Rightly it has been said, "The best of good manners is putting up with bad ones pleasantly." It requires no great effort to be courteous. It, actually, takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown.

True politeness is perfect ease and freedom with yourself and others. It simply consists in treating others jut as you love to be treated yourself.

The flat, opposite to Saroj's house, had just been rented out. Saroj could see a man and a woman with a baby walking about. She wondered if they had a girl of her age to make friends and soon she found that there was indeed one. The new tenants were quiet folk and did not have time to talk to anyone.

Three days later, Saroj saw the lady across the street trying to open her door. She had a large load of groceries in her shoulder bag and the baby in her arms. She just could not open the door, because the little girl by her side kept pulling at her sari. Saroj ran across the road to help.

She said,"I am too small to take your loaded basket, but I'll hold the baby while you unlock the door."

The lady was very grateful. She thanked Saroj, handed the baby to her and opened the door. The little girl began to cry, so Saroj began to talk to her to take her mind off her weeping.

The lady said, "I am Mrs. Kapur, thank you so much for helping me. Please come in and play with my chil- dren." Saroj entered and enjoyed playing with the children. Mrs. Kapur liked Saroj, because she was so polite and courteous, She knew her children would learn good manners from Saroj.

Think Awhile

Good manners endear us to all. They win us friends. Many a time, enemies can become friends by our kind words and polite manners. Sometimes you feel hurt because someone, known to you, has not thanked you for the gift you have given or because he or she has spoken rudely one time, or the other.