Uncommon Courtesy

     You are standing in a crowded elevator and you accidently bump into someone. You hear the words "I'm sorry" float out of your mouth. In response you hear "No problem" or something to that affect -- common courtesy. A car on the road ahead of you puts their directional signal on to move into your lane. Common courtesy would dictate that you allow them to change lanes but ... let's be real! Other than me, who uses directional signals anymore???? And common courtesy ... the current attitude is, who wants to be common?
     I admit. I am just as guilty wanting to get ahead or be first, as the next person and I am NOT always Mrs. Nice Guy. However we live in a world more and more governed by the thought that we are more important than others. The rules don't apply to me because I have ... going on in my life. After all, NO ONE drives the speed limit anyway. You won't get a ticket if you are only going # of miles over the limit. Justification. Justification is the enemy of courtesy. It gives an excuse as to why you don't have to follow the same rules as anyone else. It gives you a reason for thinking that you are better than the other person.  The problem is, where does it end?
     Every day we are bombarded on the news with heinous crimes committed by people against loved ones, and others. We hear the ridiculous arguments as to why this crime is justified and acceptable. A politician is "justified" in slinging dirt on another because that is how politics works. Whatever happened to a debate between gentlemen, or taking responsibility for your actions? Were these elements of integrity and courtesy too common for us? Did we distance ourselves intentionally or was it a slow, gradual decay?  And what exactly is wrong with being common?
     I like being a normal person. My life may be ordinary and common to some but it is still extraordinary and miraculous to me. Common courtesies just allow each of us to put ourselves in perspective for a few minutes and touch the life of another in an uncommon way. It is a reminder that it is not all about us!!! Just sayin'!  It is NOT all about us and sometimes we need to be reminded of that. So let's do something truly special since no one wants to be ordinary and make common courtesy common again.  That really would be extraordinary.