We all could learn a thing or two from our children and grandchildren. My 3-year-old grandson stayed overnight at my house, and being with this pleasant and appreciative young man during play time, story time, bed time, and breakfast was a reminder of how gratifying it can be to spend time with someone who is polite, kind, and courteous. I must have heard "Oh, thanks, Nana" 20 times. I also heard "That's so nice of you, Nana" more than once. His utterances of common courtesy were genuine and appropriate. At one point he said to me: "Nana, we are having so much fun!" We were sitting at the breakfast table having conversation over cereal—nothing more, but yes, we were having fun.
I don't often hear such common courtesies or expressions of gratitude in the adult world—not in my world of work and certainly not in public places such as the grocery store. Acts of kindness are even more rare. And if I'm honest, I must say that I don't utter these courtesies or perform acts of kindness as often as I should. In other words, my grandson's model for such civility is not me. No, he is the model, and I am the learner.
Thank you for reading.
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