October/November 2008

Recommended Reading: Choosing Civility

"...a crucial measure of our success in life is the way we treat
one another every day of our lives."
—P.M. Forni (from Choosing Civility)

Civility (si-vi-li-tee) noun; (a) courtesy, politeness (b) a polite act or expression

Yesterday, as I entered a shop, I greeted another customer with, "Good morning." She promptly snapped back, "I don't work here!"

A few days ago, a friend and I met at a small neighborhood cafe to catch up over breakfast. After waiting quite a while for our server, we noticed that several other diners who came in after us were served right away. I approached the hostess and politely said we'd hadn't been served and asked if we might have a menu in the meantime. The hostess, who never looked up at me, raised her voice and said, "I can't see everybody who comes in here!"

In these uncertain times, many of us are overwhelmed, overworked, and overstimulated. It's no wonder our behavior toward one another has become increasingly hostile even in the most innocuous settings. The aforementioned incidents got me thinking a lot about civility and the choices I make every day. Perhaps you're thinking about it, too. John Hopkins University professor, P.M. Forni's Choosing Civility is a good refresher course.