The more I age, the more I see people who violate manners and etiquette rules in their everyday lives.  It’s not a given learning process.  It’s a given embedded learning process.  Most of today’s younger population have no idea what manners and etiquette are, while the senior population can’t remember any of them.  It’s called “Senior Memory Loss.”

As young children, Mom, especially, would correct Lucy’s and my manners and grammar daily for years, even into adulthood.  It was an integral part of our daily education. It mattered not about the location either.

The major correction from Mom was when either of us would say. “Where’s it AT?”  At which time she immediately would say, “Behind the AT!”  Simple action; just remove the word “AT” from your memory and vocabulary for a lifetime. Doesn’t “Where is it?” sound better than “Where’s it AT?

Another lesson is for men to always remove their hat or baseball cap when sitting, alone or with others, at a dining table during mealtimes. Ask Jim or Mac.  They were required by Sal, (their grandmother), to do this at every meal, regardless of where the incident occurred (at home or at a restaurant).

Continuing, I recently saw a man SPIT saliva adjacent to the dining table, wearing his baseball cap. If Mom were here, she would have puked!!! I almost did!!!

How many facial muscles are required when you say, “PLEASE” and “THANK-YOU?”  Mom would also have included “I’M SORRY.”

For simplicity, “etiquette is not about which fork to use.  It’s about showing respect for yourself and everyone else in your minute corner of the world.  In a world where rudeness reigns, why not be polite and thoughtful? asked Errikka Sansong, PHD in psychology.

Relating to manners, “Good and pleasant etiquette in an adult and a child is a wonderful trait in modern society.  Measuring these simple manners listed below will assist you in raising a grateful child, wrote Louise Carrigan.  “Good manners can apply to all age groups, infants to seniors.”

According to an article in Country Life magazine, “To make the world a nicer place, you should follow these rules about manners, which include:

·     Offer your seat to anyone older or pregnant.

·     Let your waiter come to you.  Don’t flag him down.

·     Leave a generous tip, even to your dog groomer.

·     Say “Excuse me” when you bump into someone accidentally.

·     Use a coaster for every beverage placed on the table.

·     Say “please” and “thank-you.”  It’s the top of the manner’s leaderboard.

·     “Smile!”  You’ll live longer and add sunshine to someone’s life!!!

·     Hold open the door for others to pass through.  You’ll be a hero!!!

·     Step outside to answer cell or landline phone calls.

·     Give people a pass on their bad days.  You don’t know what problems they’re dealing with.

·     Look directly at the person who is speaking to you.  If not, you’re showing boredom or disinterest.

·     In line, let someone pass before you.

·     Cough or sneeze into your elbow.  Not a table napkin!!!

·     Learn people’s names.  Stop yelling HEY!!!!!

That’s what you feed cattle!

Write thank-you notes in cursive for every gift you receive. Emails don’t cut it; they’re not the same.  Don’t take the easy way out.

Just for me.  Put away cell-phones during meals.

Be on time.  Late arrivers cause mass confusion.

Clean up after your pet or pets.

Always RSVP.  No one does this anymore, and it’s a paramount, courteous and important job.

For social media subscribers, ask your friends or contacts before posting pictures or comments.

Shake hands firmly.  Weakness shows timidness.

Dress for the occasion, formal to casual.

Wash your hands after using the bathroom.

Don’t be a stinker!                                                

Park your shopping cart on the aisle, not the center.  Then, everyone can pass comfortably.

Clean up after yourself.  It’s very rude to leave the job for the hostess.

Blow your nose with tissues (Kleenex), not table napkins. I know they’re both white, but come on! There’s a big difference.

Ask before bringing a guest.  And make sure they’re not wearing white shoes during the fall and winter seasons.

Sit like a royal, not like one of the “ladies of the night” on Nashville’s Dickerson Road.

Don’t put your elbows on the table (unless you’ve had a bath).

Don’t talk with your mouth full of food.

Stay at home if you’re sick! If you’re not, stay home anyway.  You won’t miss anything.

Wear seasonal clothing during the year.  Cottons and linens in summer; wools and corduroy during the fall and winter months.  Trash the white shoes.

The manners and etiquette rules are many, yet are easy to remember and use.

In conclusion, “Good manners are a way to show others that you care about them.  Manners also make it easier for everyone to feel comfortable in social situations,” wrote Annie McNeal, a media social columnist.