False Courtesy
Denny 09 Jun 2008 | : Parenting Tips, Self-Improvement
The other day I was in line in traffic, waiting for the light to turn green.
Finally it changed and the line slowly began to move forwards.
Then, the car in front of me stopped to allow a person from the side street
to merge in front of her.
Then, we began to move again. The car in front of me slipped through the
intersection as the light turned red again. I was stuck waiting again.
I’m sure the lady in front of me was patting herself on the back for being such
a nice person…letting the car in front of her enter the line of traffic.
But — she was demonstrating false courtesy. You see, she didn’t just give
up her place in line. She gave up mine, too! And my place is not for HER
to give up!
If you do something nice for somebody and it inconveniences you (and only you),
that is true courtesy. We should all be looking for opportunities to perform acts
acts of true courtesy.
But if you perform the same act, and it inconveniences others in the process…it’s
not courtesy at all.
