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| lolo, lola, and myself (1994) |
I grew up in a Christian family who always promoted Christian values. This all started when I was still a baby. When I was a baby, I was taught the importance of saying thank you, good-bye, please and thank you, as well as common courtesy such as helping others, or prioritizing others when one crosses the door. I was taught by my Lolo and Lola about politeness and service to other people at a very young age, to become caring and loving to the other, no matter who they might be.
I’d just like to take time and thank them for instilling and teaching me these important virtues and values at a very young age. They taught me that it’s good to be polite and to help others, and ultimately, as Levinas states, “to live my life for the other”.
My Lola told me a story about what I did in the states that relates to my being polite and friendly. A homeless man was sitting on a park bench in Santa Monica, California, and my Lola told me that I went up and sat next to him. Regardless of his race or his social stature, my Lola told me that I conversed with him and talked to him. I introduced myself and asked how he was. Baffled, he talked to me as well, and for a good 5 minutes, the homeless man and myself had a fruitful conversation. Lola also recounts me sharing some of my Animal Crackers with him.
After my encounter with the homeless man, the homeless man went up to my lola and told her that I was the only one that talked to him that day and that he received so much joy from talking to me.
Regardless of what kind of person we encounter in this world, we should always remember to think that we are here for others. Regardless of who we may encounter, we should always remember to say “After you” “thank you” and “a-dieu” and live our lives for the other. As little as these nuances may seem, if done to an other, it can change an other’s day for the better. This is precisely why I’m grateful to my grandparents for instilling such a golden virtue in me at a young age, because these things are easily forgotten. done repetitively, and ever since I was still a baby, politeness became a habit of mine, all thanks to my grandparents.
