A Note on Courtesy

A couple of weeks ago, I taught a Gospel Doctrine lesson, and ended with this quote by President Hinckley:
"It is amazing what courtesy will accomplish. It is tragic what a lack of courtesy can bring. We see it every day as we move in the traffic of the cities in which we live. A moment spent in letting someone else get into the line does good for the one who is helped, and it does good for the one who helps. Something happens inside of us when we are courteous and deferential toward others. It is all part of a refining process which, if persisted in, will change our very natures."

It is exceptionally easy to neglect simple acts of courtesy during this busy time of year. and yet, Him whose birth we celebrate at this time would want it the exact opposite. He would want us to be more mindful of each other, and more courteous one to another.

Now, I will be the first to admit that I am often far less courteous than I should or could be. However, today, being on the receiving again, I was reminded of the truthfulness of President Hinckley's statement, and have resolved to be better in that area myself.

Today I am flying home to Virginia. The last couple of flying experiences in my family have been less than satisfactory, and very stressful. Considering the recent weather conditions, I was a little concerned about flying today. The snow, at least in Salt Lake is holding off for now, and I did arrive the recommended two hours early, but, WOW, let me tell you of my experience.

I got to the kiosk and printed my boarding pass, then headed to the desk to check my bag and pay the fee. The gentleman who helped me was SO polite. He was relaxed and used phrases like, "when you're ready could you hand me _____?" and "your baggage fee is $20 when you have a chance to get your credit card." Ok, now, no one likes to pay extra money to check ONE bag during this economy, but, you know what, I was more than willing to pay it because he had been so polite! When I left, he told me exactly where to go and wished me a Merry Christmas. The "thank you, and enjoy your holiday" that followed was genuine and heartfelt on my part.

Security is my possibly LEAST favorite part of flying. I'm always a little worried that I have forgotten to take something out of my bag, or that it's going to take too long. I'm also paranoid about some of the new scanners that I've never used. But not only was the line exceptionally short, the TSA officers were very polite and great at giving instructions on how the new machines work, and exactly what they were going to do and what I had to do. It was lovely!

I think I made it through the ticketing and security process in 10 - 15 minutes flat. Pretty darn amazing for December 23rd! Even the people that gave me my food at the airline restaurant were exceptionally friendly and wished me a Merry Christmas.

Because so much kindness has headed my way this morning, it is not only easier for me to return it, but, it has made such acts more noticeable to me when they happen to others. Like the electric cart drivers offering rides to struggling parents, or the attendants wheeling the elderly people through the airport. I haven't even gotten on the plane yet and let's be honest, things could potentially go south quite easily, but, I think because of my initial experiences, I will be much more forgiving, and much less likely to generalize the behavior of the few to the many airport personally.

So thanks for the courtesy folks, Merry Christmas. I suggest we all remember "please", "thank you", "hello", "how are you" and smiles a little more often, especially at this time of year.