A Moment of Graciousness

Thoughout 2012 my Daily Doses have been my "thought-for-the-day" exercise, a moment of reflection about how my thinking has changed over 61 years, and a purposeful setting of my intention for the day ahead.

 

Daily Dose #10

2/2/12

A Moment of Graciousness

Learning to be gracious towards others is a tricky business.  There are schools where one can be taught how to appear gracious, but that’s a very differently colored horse.  Acting may prove useful at times, and may often be at the very heart of diplomacy, but pretending has nothing to do with being truly gracious.  I suspect (or at least I hope) that everyone everywhere has been exposed to someone who is truly gracious.  It is a remarkable experience to interact with someone who not only gives you their full and undivided attention, but actually appreciates who you are and what you are trying to do or say…no matter how ineptly you might go about it and regardless of how many other issues might be making legitimate demands upon their time.

My father and my grandfather were both gracious men.  They stopped, they listened, and they made me feel that my existence on the planet had value.  They did that with everyone.  Through the years I have met others who seemed to brim with graciousness.  Sadly, I wasn’t always aware of it at the time because I thought their behavior was a reflection of how much I was bringing to the proverbial table.  That was my ego.  Looking back, I realize how often I brought little or nothing.  It’s fairly easy to be gracious in the face of someone’s show of overwhelming generosity, but what about everybody else?  Can I learn to appreciate them too?

Today I will endeavor to exhibit at least one moment of true graciousness to someone around me.