What Happened to Please

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis

A beautiful, young 80-year-old lady told me she appreciated my articles in the paper, and she had an idea for a new topic.  That excites me because I am always searching for new inspirations.  She said, “Whatever happened to please?”  As I thought about it more, I realized she had a good point.  In our vast media world today, so many people are telling us what to do, and they seldom say please.  When was the last time you saw a television commercial or printed media that said, “Please buy our insurance, please eat at our restaurant, or please buy our brand of clothing?”  Have you heard anyone say, “Please vote for me?”  Advertising messages, in general, are imperative commands.  In marketing, it’s called the ‘call to action’ statement.  The inference is that you’ll jump right up and do what you’re told.  Where did the manners go?  When you ask someone to do something, you say please, right?

These subtle changes in our daily lives may go unnoticed.  Are please and thank you important?  Manners indicate our respect for another person.  We quit thinking of ourselves and turn our attention outward.  To say please and thank you is a subtle way of saying to the other person, “I know you have a choice,” or “You are important.”   Please is a way of indicating that you are NOT taking another person for granted.  How many times did your parents or teachers say, “What are the magic words?”  To that, we always answered please and thank you!  And it is magic.  All kinds of good rewards can follow.  It is just a good reminder.  As you go through your day, see how many times you can say please.  It is especially fun to say it to your family.  I bet they take notice!