Lately, I’ve noticed how stressed the average American on the ground, is.  Most businesses even seem to be affected.  Receptionists don’t look up or if they do it’s in annoyance.  Grocery store clerks shove your change and [...]]]> Write about a subject of interest or something you are passionate about and others will be, too!  Passion is contagious. 

Lately, I’ve noticed how stressed the average American on the ground, is.  Most businesses even seem to be affected.  Receptionists don’t look up or if they do it’s in annoyance.  Grocery store clerks shove your change and receipt at you as they command you to have a nice day.  Convenience store cashiers are pokey and ignore your outstretched hand to pay for your gas and get on your way.  People honk when you change lanes, even though your blinker has been begging for them to let you squeeze in that lane for over a mile on the highway, making you miss your turn, thank you very much.  Banks won’t change a 50 dollar bill unless you can prove citizenship and a driver’s license won’t do and could you please open up an account.  Greeters at WalMart seem irritating, or is it just me? 

The Farmer’s Market is selling over-ripe fruit and my local favorite restaurant has become less favored, as they have cut quality of food to soup kitchen level, or maybe soup kitchens are better?  Current reason we still go is due to a few friendly servers, a rare commodity.  Those servers have confided that their paychecks are 3 weeks behind, you know, that $2.33 hourly wage they get. 

Ok, now that we’re all depressed, what do we do about it?  When I was growing up, my brother had an annoying habit of whistling.  It was his way of cheering himself up, and it worked, but it ticked me off to a level of deadly anger.  I always have been sensitive to sound, and though I enjoy cheer, whistling isn’t there for me.

However, the point of bringing up the whistle, is that we all have the power and dare I say the responsibility to put on a cheerful outside self and make the day a little brighter for another.  Geeze, Louise, get over “it.”  I could tell you stories that would make you cry, but why?  How about some manners?  My mother talked repeatedly about how you couldn’t air your dirty laundry to the world and expect people not to turn up their noses. 

Let’s try some old-fashioned, country-style, “Y’all come back now, hear?” manners.  It’s not hard, and comes with a nice extra bonus of feeling a little better, yourself. 

Go stand in front of the mirror and see if you can find your smile.  If it looks like old money, work on it.  Say “thank you,” and not through gritted teeth.  Let someone merge in front of you in traffic.  Smile.  Look at the WalMart greeter who’s feet are probably killing her, and say “Nice to see you, today.”  Smile.  Tell the bank teller you will “go buy a pack of mints at the grocery store to break the fifty, and no thanks, I’ve already placed my million I was saving to open an account with your bank in rebuilding Wall Street.  Just doing my part to save the economy so, I can’t spare a dime to open up my 50th bank account in town to break a $50.  It pains me, not to be able to help your bank in their time of need, but it’s true.”  Smile.  Hug your kids, look the tired grocery clerk in the eye and say “I appreciate you.  I bet you’ve worked hard today.”  Smile.

See, the day is better already, all it took was a few manners.  I think it’s a contagious disease, but it’s ok, we can stand a new virus of good feelings.  Write about it!  Spread it around.