Today I returned from several days spent at the happiest place on earth, where smiles are shared like there’s no tomorrow and friendly waves are exchanged among strangers like the gesture is as natural as blinking. My Disneyland adventure was, of course, perfectly magical, but my time spent at the park called something greater than the peaks of the Matterhorn to my attention. Where have all our manners gone?
 The “cast members,” as they call them, of Disneyland are certainly expected to maintain next to perfect politeness with all the guests, but their behavior undoubtedly elicits a kinder demeanor among everyone. I think visitors take extra initiative to extend their friendly interactions, thanks to places like Main Street, which draw us into the traditions of a time when people were just downright friendlier. The absurdity of all this is that this behavior exists within the limited borders of a world “of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.” The real world seems to be missing out.
Manners developed out of simple human interaction. The moment we stepped out of our caves and began communicating with one another, social etiquette proved itself to make life easier and more pleasant. Specific gestures of courtesy were born out of boredom, strangely, by the French in the 1600s. These customs, labeled etiquette, were taught in schools through most centuries up until the early 1900s. Eventually, many of these practices seemed a bit unnecessary, and common sense has more or less taken over our perspective on manners.
Common sense leaves a little to be desired, though. Sure it tells you to hold the door open, or to say “thanks,” but does it necessarily call us to smile at strangers or strike up a conversation with the person we happen to be seated beside, wherever that may be? Not necessarily.
In a 1896 etiquette book titled “Youth’s Educator for Home and Society,” the author wrote this: “…true etiquette must spring from a sincere desire to make everyone around us feel at ease; a determination to exercise a thoughtful regard for the feelings of others.”
Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 November 2009 23:17
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 Do you have what it takes? Are you willing to push aside anxiety and fear to do something remarkable? There's nothing quite as remarkable as an Olympic gold medalist and experts say that there's no sporting competition more stressful than the Olympic games. Listen in as Patty and Lisa speak with Emily Lesueur, synchronized swimmer and 1996 Atlanta games gold medalist. We'll hear from Emily about what it took mentally and physically to achieve this remarkable dream. It all airs on toginet.com Thursday, September 2 at 12pm EST. If you miss the show, download the podcast.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 September 2010 22:34
Tuesday, 25 August 2009 11:53
Liz Coffey
Other
Are you looking for a fun craft to do with your little ones today? Would you like to do a craft that will get them excited about reading? Well then, I recommend creating BOOKMARKS! Keep track of your favorite books with this handy bookmark Materials: Fun Foam in assorted colors
Decorative scissors (optional)
White glue
Fine-point permanent markers in assorted colors
3/4″ pompom
Two 5 mm movable eyes
Yarn
Last Updated on Wednesday, 26 August 2009 13:18
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Dear Girlfriends, I have enjoyed sharing how my family purposefully leaves or intends to leave a legacy of relationships. As I said in the intro, “I started a journey of being consciously aware of the legacy I am leaving last summer. Although I have a lot of growing to do, I have learned that we are creating our own legacies everyday by every choice we make, whether we realize it or not.” In order to keep myself accountable, every week I chose a way to incorporate topics that are already part of our lives and point out ways to purposefully think about our legacy.
Last Updated on Thursday, 30 July 2009 06:23
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Friday, 24 July 2009 14:46
Girlfriend Admin
Discuss It
Obesity in children is a growing problem around our nation. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control, the obesity rate has more than tripled for children ages 12-19 in the past 30 years. US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is seeking to band trans-fats from school lunches and increase funding to schools who participate in improving the quality of their menus. Who's at fault for these increasing obesity levels in our children? Do you work in the schools? What kind of food is being served? Do your kids eat lunch at school? Do they eat healthy? Is this something our tax dollars should go to? Is childhood obesity the fault of the parents, schools, or government? What should be done to correct this issue?
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