I'm an elderly Southern lady who has some difficulty walking. Sometimes I use a cane, and there are times when I use a walker.
So I fit in the categories of being Female, Elderly, and Handicapped.
When we're out in public I am appalled to find that people have gotten so rude.
It's become the norm that when I arrive at store isle intersections I'M the one who has to stop and let the other person by. If I don't, I get run over.
Although some people will help with holding doors open, most do not.
People, including even store employees, speed around me with no regard for the likelihood that they are going to knock me down.
I'm old enough to remember when it was normal that people would respect their elders, show deference to women, and go out of their way to be helpful to anyone with a handicap.
My wonderful hubby ALWAYS shows his good manners and goes out of his way to be respectful and helpful. But then he's from the "Old School" and was taught good manners as a child, as I was.
This is one time when I DO wish for the "Good Old Days', and I make a point of saying Thank You to anyone who still shows good manners!!
12 comments:
You're not old!
It's a pity my friend Stacey stopped blogging - Anyone who parked on a disabled person's place had her full wrath, she always had her personal lawyer (her husband) with her.
I try my best. I went to help an elderly man who looked in difficulty this morning. He just had a pebble in his shoe and was infact reaching down to deal with it easier than I could!
LOL! Well I feel old right now, and I'm certainly no Spring Chicken. Having to use a cane or a walker really makes me feel elderly.
You are not old at all!
Manners have definitely gone by the way side these days! I, too, wish they would be taught again and make an appearance in life once again, and for ever!
Don
http://exposeyourblog.com
You and Anji are trying to make me feel better! LOL! I'm approaching 70, and right now I DO feel old. I really feel my age when I can look back and see how much things have changed over my lifetime.
It appalls me too, and I'm a teenager. How I was raised, when an older person came into the living room and there were no seats, ALL of the children moved to the floor. You help those who need it, you hold the door open for those after you, and if you absolutely need to speed past someone, you say 'Excuse me' and then go past.
Sometimes it is really annoying that a good percentage of my generation and those before it have no manners... It's like someone saying, "Hey, that person was just really rude. I guess manners don't exist anymore!"
It's up to us to politely point out rudeness to people. That's my problem - I avoid confrontation.
"When we're out in public I am appalled to find that people have gotten so rude." And this applies to all places or even race, with no geographical boundaries. The psychological impulse of people to feel superior towards the disabled is rampant and accounted even for the discrimination against them.
people ARE so rude :(
For several years, I have lived in central Mexico. And, yes, rudeness is a way of life here too. I will be seventy years old next month and, not only over the last several years have I seen a deterioration of compassion for the elderly, I’ve experienced it.
However, from time to time I do see acts of kindness, and good deeds are what I want to write about today. Unfortunately, sometimes our minds can become so consumed with “what’s wrong” it blinds us to “what’s right.”
Several times each week here I see a child as young as 7 or 8 years old helping, what appears to be, a great-grandparent to cross the street.
Last week, from a block away, I observed a stooped elderly gentleman attempting to cross the street at a busy intersection in the downtown area. It was obvious his altered gate was of grave concern to him. He would begin to cross, and then step back onto the sidewalk. As I was making my way to where he was I saw a female adolescent speak with him before reaching down and grasping his arm.
When the light changed they began their journey together across the street. It was amazing; the busy traffic came to a halt in all directions until the older gentleman stepped safely onto the sidewalk on the other side. It was as if silence had fallen over the whole area. There were no honking horns, nothing. Immediately after the pedestrian couple were safe and sound, the congested traffic began the normal hustle and bustle.
Thank you for sharing this great example of good manners and compassion. I see it too, from time to time. Yesterday a young woman coming into the public restroom noticed that I was almost through drying my hands. She waited for me to finish, holding the door open for me. WOW! To say the least, I thanked her profusely.
I am saddened to hear this. Perhaps there are still some people who show respect to their elders and people who need assistance. I am in Australia and occasionally I see a schoolkid give up his seat to an elderly gent or lady. It makes me feel like there is some hope.
Thanks for the positive comment, LPG! There is always hope - but we have to see to it the next generation learns manners or it becomes a lost art.
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