by Ken LeClair

Did you ever call a  place of business and have the receptionist say “Hello, what do you want?” or  “Hello who is this?” You wouldn’t think too much of that business or the receptionist . How much of a tip do you leave for a rude waitress or waiter? How do you feel about the neighbor who never looks you in the eye and walks past you without saying hi? We naturally get negative vibes from these people and tend not to like them very much.

On the other hand we have the receptionist who is so sweet we want to send her a box of candy because she remembers our name and asks how we are in such a sincere way that we know she really cares. The waitress who makes us smile and tells us which special of the day is the best or the waiter who recommends the perfect wine always gets at least a twenty  percent tip. The  neighbor who always greets us with a friendly smile and a cheerful good morning is the one we would surely miss if or they moved.

What about us? Do we always answer the phone politely and make the caller glad they called?  Does the message on our voice mail get us more hang ups than messages?   Do we use the words, please, thank you, you’re welcome as often as we should?  Do we hold the door open for the person behind us especially if that person is older or a female?  If we show others that we have good manners  it will put us in a positive light that will also be a good reflection on our family and our upbringing and this really does matter.