Gracious Interactions
I am still reading Fiona Ferris’s book Thirty Chic Days and I am still enjoying it. I just read a section of the book called “Giving a Compliment” and it got me thinking. Do I give compliments often?
Fiona mentioned that giving a genuine compliment is sometimes use as an icebreaker to start a conversation. I couldn’t agree more. I have done that. I am normally a very reserved person and sometimes people can mistake that for being a snob but I am far from it.
I just like to watch and pay attention to people. Sometimes if you watch, you can tell if a person is genuine or fake. I don’t do well with phony people. I usually stay away from them and I don’t share my life with them. Honestly and truly they can’t be happy for you anyway so why bother?
But if I know that someone is genuine in spirit; I love being around them and will share things.
Whenever I am around people I always do my very best to be gracious, polite, and kind. When entering a room or someone’s home I always speak first. When passing someone down a narrow hall I always say excuse me.
When I see a woman “dress to the nines”, I always like to tell her how wonderful she looks. Because to be quite honest there is a lot of bad taste going around and we need to encourage women who look great often.
When we are out to dinner, I am always gracious to the hostess and waitresses. Now, if I notice that they are rude, I try not to take it personal. Because it could have been the customer before me or some things going on in their life and there is no need to get upset and not enjoy my evening.
I have learned that when you are gracious to cashiers, waitresses, and people who are serving you, they remember you. Oh, do they remember you? It happens to me all the time.
I walk through the mall early in the morning because I like to stop at the bakery for my morning pastry and I always say, “Good Morning” to the cleaning crew. So now whenever they see me they run to me and say, “Good Morning”. It is quite delightful.
