..."because we've lost our politeness, and that's a fact..." Okay, so I'm no Justin Timberlake! But you get my point.
I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Between Naps on the Porch and she blogged about what to do when your guest arrives early to an event at your house. You can read about it here. She provided some pointers from Emily Post. It's a great read!
And it got me to thinking.... At time, we can be a rude society. Now, I'm not trying to be negative here. I do not think it is intentional. I think we have quit teaching and practicing how to be polite. Therefore, consider this my civic duty and it's my very own PSA.
We. Have. Become. Rude.
Here's what I mean. I'm a southern girl. I'm used to saying "Yes ma'am" and "No sir" when I speak to people. Even people that are younger than I am. That's just the way I was raised. And I know that not everyone was raised that way, so I get that. It's not even about that. It's about asking someone if you can help them in the kitchen after they've cooked you a meal. It's about making a bed when you sleep in some one's house. It's about saying "Thank you!" when someone does ANYTHING for you.
On the 4th of July I was hosting a get together with the extended family at my house. I was making the Pioneer Woman's Spicy Dr. Pepper pork.... (side-note: YUMMY!). I had also made Paula Deen's Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding... (side-note: BEYOND YUMMY!). So, I had been cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, etc. In my haste, I rolled my left ankle. This was less than three weeks after I had heel surgery on my right foot. Needless to say, I'm out for the count. My family was wonderfully caring and offered not to come, but I had made all this food, so I said "Come on anyway...." I had taken a pain pill that I had left over from surgery, and I was out for the count anyway. (side-note: it's been three days, I'm still swollen and just today was able to move around. That's for another blog post...)
My oldest daughter took over for me and finished my Southern Living Baked Beans (side-note: you know you are going to love me for putting all of these recipes in this blog!) and basically put on the party. Thank you J-Bo! I slept. I ached. I whined. All that good stuff. I missed the party.
Remember when I said that today was the first time I was able to get around? Okay, so I moved around and surveyed the damage around the house. I'm a little OCD, therefore a dirty house makes me unhappy (side-note: ask my family...). Unfortunately, my house has that "lived in" look, so in my mind, it's always dirty. While surveying, I noticed a napkin that had been waded up and left on my dining room table. Inside it were strawberry hulls and the hard almond bark that I had coated them in (side-note: It was an idea I got from Pinterest!). It was all waded up in a napkin and left on my table. Almond bark is sweet. It can attract ants. Someone picked it off and left it on my table. That's just gross.
I also had someone sleep in my guest bed and they didn't make it when they left. Wha? I just wouldn't do that! Never... Ever....
How about the bearded lawyer in the Casey Anthony trial? He flipped "the bird" to the media after the verdict was read.... He's an OLD MAN! He should know better.
That's what I mean about rude. When you are in some one's house, treat it with respect. Treat the people that live there with respect. Please don't take this wrong, I love everyone in my family, so this isn't a bashing of my family. It's me pointing out that we should be politer. Is that a word?
We need to bring back the "Golden Rule". In the event you are unaware of the Golden Rule, it goes something like this: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In other words, treat people like you would want to be treated.
