What has happened to good manners?

Every day I ride on public transportation to work.  It is on this bus ride into town that I do many of my life observations.  One observation actually happens daily, and it isn't just limited to public transportation.  It's manners and what happened to using GOOD MANNERS!  I know that what I am about to write about may cause all the Women's Lib people out there into a tizzy, but I don't care at this point.  For me, it's a matter of manners and being respected and not a matter of being equal!

Yesterday as I enter the bus, every seat is taken.  The people on the bus are of all age ranges, from a newborn to the 80 year old grandmother.  While I do not need a seat, my legs are not broken and I can stand, what bothers me is that not a single teenage, 20 something or 30 something move to let the clearly pregnant woman, who also joined at my stop, sit down!  This woman was obviously in her 3rd trimester and was very uncomfortable standing.  I observed men and women alike, checking this poor pregnant woman out but none of them offered her their seat.  I have to disclose that our bus run is one of the shortest in the Port Authority's Repertoire...about 14 minutes from start to end so standing for anyone is not a difficult task, unless of course you are 8 months pregnant, with swollen ankles and a bag the size of Texas on your shoulders.  I am in no way implying that a man needed to give up his seat, as a woman who has been pregnant SHOULD understand the way that this woman feels and should also have the manners to offer up her seat.   Someone, anyone, offer this woman your seat for Heaven's sake.  It's the right thing to do!

I have also notice that there is a lack of appreciation for people who hold doors open for you.  When I hold a door open, I am not looking for you to bow at my feet or kiss the ring that I wear.  What I am looking for is a simple "Thanks" or "Thank you".  Those words go a long way in this word.  It shows your appreciation for me, my time, my caring enough not to let the door slam in your face (as you were walking with your head down and talking on the cell phone)!  I have taught my daughters, ages 12 and 9, that it is respectful for them to hold a door open for a person... but you still need to respect the kindness that my children have extended and thank them.  It is not my, nor my daughters' job to be your door handler.  It is a courtesy and should be treated as such.  Additionally, if you are holding the door open for your significant other, and you see someone else approaching the door, how difficult is it for you to hold it open... at least until I have a chance to grab it.  I am not telling you to hold the door open FOR me, but how about holding the door open a split second longer so that I can grab it FROM you!  People, you can clearly see someone else approaching the door... why must you be so darn rude.  It doesn't make you appear any better to that person with you.  You know, the person to whom you are trying to make a good impression for! 

Today in our office, my boss (a female) and I were walking down a hallway (that is built by the forever line of cubicles in our office).  This hallway is quite narrow, only allowing for one person to fit through it at a time.  As my boss and I are walking down this narrow hallway, 2 males (probably in their mid 20's) are walking in the other direction and heading right toward us.  Now there is not a way for 2 people to fit across in this narrow little hallway, so one of the groups must step into a set of cubes and wait for the other to pass.  What do you think happens; if you guessed Sam and her boss stepping into another set of cubicle, you are correct.  You see, the 2 males never slowed down, didn't give the appearance that they would step into the cubicles, nor did they THANK us for stepping out of the way so that they could pass!  Where are the manners? Where is the "I'll be polite and wait for you to pass"?  Where is a little bit of common courtesy and decency? 

It is really sad that I have to write in my blog about the lack of manners by so many today.  An easy "please" and "thank you" go a long way.  Offering up your seat to a person who needs it more on the bus shows that you are a thoughtful human being.  Taking a second to hold the door open for someone may actually make that person's day.  It is all about being kind to others in my world.  This is definitely something that I have passed along to my daughters. 

Watch your skirt length.

I understand that there are women who enjoy wearing their skirts short.  I also understand that not every women in the world can wear a short skirt.  In my daily commute to and from work I often see outfits that make me do a double take.  Yesterday was no exception and the cause of today's post.

The temperature in Western Pennsylvania has been in the high 90's and with the humidity, the heat index is about 105 degrees.  So I understand that wearing clothing is something that not many of us want to do, but we all understand it is something that we need to do.  So as I am driving on my way home from work a girl, walking with her boyfriend, caught my eye.  You see, her skirt was short.  And when I say short, I mean super short.  At one point, the girl asked her boyfriend to walk behind her and see if her butt cheeks were showing.  Really... that's the question you need to ask before you even leave the house!  Each time this girl took a step she would pull at the bottom of the skirt to ensure that it wasn't rising up any more. 

So I know that it is all about looking good and feeling good about who you are.  Honestly, I get it.  What I don't get is how showing your butt cheeks is approriate or "sexy" in any way.  How projecting the image that you are is what you truly want for yourself.  Do you think that everyone really wants to see your butt cheeks?  I don't and I am quite sure that there are other people out there that feel the same way that I do as well. 

But the bigger concern for me is that it isn't just this girl dressing this way.  There are hundreds, thousands of girls and women that are dressing this way.  I am concerned that these girls and women think that this is the only way to attract a male.  Attracting a male through those means says nothing about your intelligence, your personality, or even your goals for life.  To me, what that short skirt says is "Hey look at me for nothing more than my body!"  As women we have so much more to offer people than just our bodies.  Start using the brain that God gave you for more than just picking out the shortest skirt! 

As the mother of 2 daughters, I can only hope that I have raised them with enough self esteem to not degrade themselves to the level of wearing super shortty skirts in order to attract a male.  I hope that my daughters are smart enough to want to be more than a sex object to their partner.  I hope that my daughers want to have more in life than just someone looking at their butt cheeks as they drive by.