Are you really considerate of others?

While many of my columns are centered on bratty kids and their untamed parents I have had thoughts lately about what we actually teach our children. On many subjects we are rather hypocritical. One of those subjects is consideration of others. We have heard the variances of this phrase all out lives. “Play nice with others.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “You have to share.” “Don’t hit girls.” I have used one for many years; “Sometimes we help ourselves, when we help others.” Call it the right thing, Karma… what ever you like. The thing is, I hear it spoken but don’t see it practiced on a regular basis. We cut people off in traffic and then use the excuse that we are in a hurry. Are we really in any bigger hurry than the person we cut off? We punch the “close door” button in elevators so we don’t have to wait a whole minute for the person running to catch the same elevator. Wait; did you notice they were carrying a huge stack of papers? So now they have to wait for the next one holding all that weight. We leave ring-tones on loud in restaurants and answer calls and talk loudly into the phone because our call or social network is more important than the guy next to us. Who may have had one of the worst days of his life and is looking to just relax with a nice meal to salvage any semblance of goodness left in his day. Many of us as adults are so self-absorbed in our own lives and that of our children’s that we tend to forget the people we pass everyday on the street are important as well. That something as simple as holding the door open for someone can make the difference of a good day or a bad day. Giving your seat up on a bus to someone who looks more tired than you are can mean the difference between that person getting home with any energy at all. Just saying good morning and really meaning it. My point to all of this is we need to practice what we teach. Children notice and so do others. Now… get out of the way my elevator is here.