Inspiration

Hey, I gorged myself on Chinese food last night with my parents, who are finally home from FLORIDA. So today I am suffering lower-gut rebellion due to MSG, sat-fat overload. I might have to sneak some "Neigh-lox" out of Princess' stash today.

In the interim, I wanted to post some non-original, inspirational pieces that hang on my bulletin board--because I am totally visual and if I can't see it, I don't think about it.

"The Essence of Compassion"

"Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and wrong...because sometime in your life you will have been all of these."

This second piece I copied out of a magazine some time ago and have meant to tatoo it to my children's forearms sometime soon:

Manners are about showing consideration and using empathy. But they are also about being connected to a common good; they are about being better. Respect and consideration are traditionally due to people for all sorts of reasons, some big, some small. Here are 20 (most lapsed) reasons to show special politeness to other people:

1. They are older

2. They know more than you do.

3. They know less than you do.

4. They got here first.

5. They have educational qualifications in the subject under discussion.

6. You are in their house.

7. They once helped you financially.

8. They have been good to you all your life.

9. They are less fortunate than you.

10. They have achieved special status in the wider world.

11. You are serving them in a shop.

12. They are in the right.

13. They are your boss.

14. They work for you.

15. They are a policeman/teacher/doctor/judge.

16. They are in need.

17. They are doing you a favor.

18. They paid for your tickets.

19. You phoned them, not the other way round.

20. They have a menial job.

This is excerpted from Talk to the Hand:The Utter Bloody Rudeness of Everyday Life (or six good reasons to stay home and bolt the door) by Lynne Truss

Read, apply, repeat, as often as is necessary...