Sunday Thoughts About Niceness

Yes, today’s post is about niceness—the quality of being nice or pleasant.

Nice has become a word that’s not quite an insult but a word that isn’t much of a compliment either.

Nice means pleasant, agreeable, or satisfactory. What’s wrong with being considered one or all of those 3 adjectives?

In today’s world, it seems as if being disagreeable and rude is the order of the day. Why is that? Didn’t parents teach manners to the people who inhabit the world now young teens and/or adults?

Treat Others As You Wish To Be Treated

The Golden Rule was taught to one and all. The Golden Rule when I was growing up did not mean those who have the gold make the rules. It meant, treat others as you want to be treated. 

That truth was taught to me and all the other kids by our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, and ministers, etc. Kids’ books in school and public libraries were based on principles like that.

Embrace Niceness

Sales employees, delivery people, trash collectors, airline employees, customer service reps, teachers—everyone you can think of who deals with the public—probably wish there was a revolution of niceness in the world. 

These hard-working people are confronted daily by rude, offensive behavior in the young and old. Why? It’s as if everyone has a short fuse in today’s world, and they take out their anger, impatience, and bitterness on whoever crosses their path.

Think about your interaction with people. Are you nasty or nice? If nasty, why? Did someone deserve it? Even if they did, you don’t have to respond in the same manner. Fighting rudeness with rudeness only increases anger, resentment, and stress—in you and the other person.

Want to be treated to a smile and kindness? Give a smile and be kind. It works miracles, and it will make you feel good.

Takeaway Truth

Take to heart what Maya Angelou said: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Joan Reeves aka SlingWords: The Word Slinging Adventures of Joan Reeves