LIFE LESSON #5:
Courtesy goes a long way!
Everyone you meet is going about their own business; sometimes to the same destination, but for different reasons. For some, their battles are not necessarily displayed on their faces. You can’t tell by looking! For others it is a case of “I do not need a mood ring; I have a face!” A pleasant encounter, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, often makes for a positive experience all round.
Having positive interactions help make the journey we are on far more pleasant. Sometimes they might even make the difference between someone being overwhelmed and losing the battle to frustration, or being re-energized and motivated to keep on pushing through their battles.
Expending emotional capital on navigating poor human relations distracts someone from the task at hand, and with the responsibilities around living already so challenging, that does not help.
At times someone absentmindedly and unintentionally does something that negatively affects someone else. That can lead to ‘road rage’ which does not usually end well. If our objective is to remain courteous at all times, we avoid the pitfalls of jumping to conclusions about others’ motives, or colouring their actions through the lens of our own biases thereby overreacting and lashing out for no reason.
Courtesy is like a lubricant that helps to remove friction from human interactions thereby creating a more harmonious society. Our responses in those situations are where there’s real potential for conflict, can serve to prevent escalations, and perhaps even winning someone over.
Better yet, take it a bit further and be kind enough to encourage someone else on their journey through their highway experience. After all everyone you meet is perhaps dealing with their own struggles.
