Common Courtesy

Hello Lovely Blossoms!  I'm excited to have you here for my first official post of the New Year!  I want to make a concerted effort to make sure I keep you all coming here. Therefore, I am going to introduce my new weekly features.

Every Friday I would like to cover a manners or etiquette-esque topic.  I think a large part of what is so artificial about people these days is the lack of manners.  I mean, it's a light-weight epidemic.  So, without further delay...


Introducing...Common Courtesy - Weekly feature during which I discuss things that are polite and should be included in your courtesy arsenal.

Topic for January 4, 2012:  Saying "Hello" or as we in the South like to call it..."speaking"

The Logic: In America it is Common Courtesy to greet someone with a Hi, Hello, How do you do or Hey!  This is not an arbitrary exercise reserved for the elite of our society.  This practice is beneficial for all!  Greeting someone when you see them not only opens the door of communication, it gives people the impression that you're well mannered.

Don't be devoid of emotion when you give your greeting.  Give your greeting with genuine sincerity.   You don't know how much power your words have over your life and the lives those around you.  Furthermore, understand that a greeting is required of you upon entering into any edifice, domicile or general area where there are people that you haven't seen or spoken to during the course of the day.

The Rant:I don't know why some of you are so stoic!  Why do you walk around the world with a permanent scowl on your face?  You look like you're constantly smelling something spoiled!  If your life is so broken, so beyond repair that you can't utter even a simple and kind hello, then please remand yourself to the confines of your home.  No one wants to see your ugly mug walking around!  There is no harm in smiling and saying hello!  No one expects you to pour sugar on top of shit and call it cake but, damn!  Even if you're not "feelin' it", you can still fake it 'till you make it.  Sometimes, forcing yourself to smile and interact with the world lightens your melancholy mood.

This rings ESPECIALLY true for minority women (Of course I am not making a grand and sweeping generalization.  Don't surmise I'm saying it's all of us Black women.  I'm not speaking directly to you.  However, a hit dog will holler won't he?).  We already have to fight the ABWS (Angry Black Woman Syndrome) and the feisty Latina stereotypes.  Let's not feed into them by, not understanding how to be generally pleasant!

The Real:  No one likes to be around people that aren't (or at least seem to be) friendly.  You'll go a lot further in your career, in your relationships and in your life if you learn how to properly greet people.  Yes, sometimes it may seem a great and trying burden - but, kindly get over it...and be courteous.