Love is not rude.
Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.
~Edmund Burke
There is an old-fashioned English word called unseemly. It’s a historical way of describing rude behavior. Recently, I watched a video of a man walking through a door and as he went through, he held the door open politely for the woman who came behind him. Rather than acknowledge his kindness with a polite thank you; she continued to walk through the door and say nothing. The man tapped the lady on the shoulder, pulled her back through the door and let it close in her face.
I don’t know which was the more rude behavior. Was it her failure to acknowledge his kindness with that thank you? Or was it his allowing the door to close in her face because she never acknowledged the kindness present it to her?
It takes so little to be kind. It doesn’t require anything extra to say thank you and please. And yet these little words can transform the heart. So today as you go through your holiday season, don’t be rude. Say thank you. Say please. Smile often. Acknowledge the kindness of others shown toward you. It’s the least we can do.