Maybe I am too sensitive and think about things way too much... However, just a moment ago something happened that really irked me! I was in the JFSB on Brigham Young University campus. I had about 1 minute to get to my class on the 4th floor. My work is right by an elevator and stairwell on the 1st floor. I quickly pressed the UP button and waited a few seconds, when a another girl ran up and stretched in front of me to push the DOWN arrow and I was thinking "Are you kidding me? It's just ONE level down." So as we were getting on the elevator I asked this girl "Are you going to wait for me to go up 3 floors to go down 1?" The girl was quick also to stretch so she could quickly push "B" and emphatically claim: "It will go down first!" It ok me by surprise, and I kinda just shook my head and looked away in fear or turning into Bon Qui Qui (see video in the post before this) and resisting the temptation to shout - RUDE! SECURITY! I WILL CUT YOU!
I was really annoyed when she was right and the elevator went DOWN (she must have experience in doing this). To add to my frustration, the elevator returned to the 1st floor and "cancelled" my original request to go UP to the 4th floor. Maybe she had never heard the phrase, "First-come, first-served?"
Now, perhaps I am making this small thing into something bigger than it needs to be, but I think it triggered my growing belief that many people today have no idea, or do not care about displaying manners or kindness and rather are increasing in selfishness.
Did rude-elevator-girl portray manners or kindness? We both had somewhere to be, and while I felt justified in using the elevator to go up 3 floors, she must have felt justified in going down one floor. Her smirk and a non-care pushing-in-front and cutting-line attitude was frustrating. She did say "have a good day" as she got off the elevator, this however felt empty and insincere when empty compared to her actions.
So, after this event, and the subsequent pondering and venting on my blog, I am forced to look at myself. Have I ever done something like this? Something rude and lacking manners? Probably, although no specific event comes to mind right now. But, I am convinced to pay more attention to my actions and catch myself if I am behaving like rude-elevator-girl.
In conclusion, I challenge myself, and all who read this, to not only recognize selfish or rude behavior, but to finds ways to MORE kinder, generous and selfless. For those of you who haven't heard of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation check out there website here!
