There is nothing worse than seeing a person I like, being nasty to another person for no apparent reason.
I’ve walked out on dates who were rude to staff. A person I’ve admired online, was so grossly foul while ordering coffee, I lost all respect for (s)him when we met in real life.
The way a person treats another is really that serious.
My father taught me that by his actions, not words. He was recruited by M.I.T. from Japan and came to the U.S. speaking only two languages: Japanese and binary. Even after living in the U.S. for 20+ years, he still spoke broken EngRish.
I used to be mortified in public with him. His voice was loud. His English was poor. Yet no matter how atrocious his grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary, he still talked to everyone in a pleasant manner. And I mean e v e r y o n e.
At restaurants he frequented, the entire staff knew my farther. From the valets, wait staff to busboys and the kitchen. The chefs would take my brother and I to the kitchen for special menus. (These were 5 star dining rooms.) When we drove through Half Moon Bay, my father would stop by his favorite farms and greet farmers working the fields. They only spoke Spanish and he spoke zero Spanish but somehow they were able to communicate. At his work, from security and maintenance staff to his assistants, colleagues and C-level execs, people would smile and wave hello as he walked by. He took after my grandmother, who treated every single person the same: like they mattered.
Conversely, my mother was snooty and condescending to people who she thought were beneath her (gardener, cleaning people, store clerks, servers, etc.) I used to apologize for her vile behavior. She’s no longer with us anymore but when I read her journal after she passed, I understood why she was the way she was. (More on that some other time.)
Anyway, this past year or so keeps iterating why I am eternally grateful to my parents for teaching me such an invaluable life lesson. They are the reason I live by these words:
The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good. – Samuel Johnson
Abide by that single sentence with personal and business relationships. You won’t be sorry. #tuesdayZen
This post was inspired by this Facebook exchange.
Beautiful.
This is one of my values I swear by everyday. I wish more people did the same. ^_^
My hope is, if one person changes then it’s a step in the right direction. Change doesn’t happen over night. Thank you for your comment!
Inspiring. Thanks for that. It’s not like I didn’t know it already, but it is a really good reminder and a challenge to do better.
It’s allll about the little reminders. Thanks for the comment, Todd!
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<3 this post!
♥
So true! Also, it’s funny how as kids (teenagers, whatever) we don’t really realize what we’re experiencing till later on. You and your dad and his loud, ‘bad’ English and later on, to realize it’s not the words, but how they’re said. Inspiring!
Cheers!
“not the words, but how they’re said”
Couldn’t have said it better myself — thanks so much for the comment. Have a great weekend! :)
i am addicted to farmville
I agree with you. And we shouldn´t expect anything less, from anyone.
Great quote from Dr. Johnson. You’ve got to be with people in person to really know how they are.
By a long shot, one of the best article l have come across on this valuable subject. I quite go along with with your assumptions and will thirstily look forward to your future updates.
this is where I starkly disagree with you. I enjoy being patronizing and condescending toward inferiors and yes it is a class issue which you apparently fail to understand.