I've had a thought kicking around in my head since Church on Sunday; and that's being a Gentleman.
I put up this picture for two reasons: 1) I know Amy is ready to have this baby and is feeling every bit of this third trimester and should see a picture of her how I see her and 2) I love sharing fancy meals with Amy and this was a fun one at Paris in Las Vegas earlier this year.
During service this past Sunday, there was a group of kids that continued to get up and leave the sanctuary and come back in; probably four or five times. Now, if my 37-week pregnant wife can make it through the entire service without getting up to use the bathroom, I feel certain that a healthy, spry 15-year-old can too.
Well, after the third or fourth time, a Gentlemen in the church got up with them and politely, but under no uncertain terms, let them know that what they were doing is rude. It ended there.
Well, that got me thinking.
A lot of young people don't know what right looks like. Whether that's because their parent's don't correct them, or they don't have good role models; there are probably lots of contributing factors.
Quite likely, this doesn't describe my circle of friends. I think we surround our family with like-minded people that aren't afraid to correct their children and let them know what behavior is acceptable. Where I haven't been a gentleman, along with many other public bystanders, is with situations like the one I described in our Church on Sunday. It's a tough line to toe, not over-stepping another parent's role; but, still helping to keep societal norms. To allow everyone to be treated as Ladies and Gentlemen.
When I got back from my last deployment, Amy had a mantra that she felt I lived by made and framed on my dresser. I absolutely love it and it very closely describes how I try to live. It's titled "Rules of a Gentleman". Some of the lines are:
- A Gentleman is always presentable
- Opening the door for a lady in not optional
- A Gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out
- Anything worth having is worth working hard for
- Be gracious in manner, humble in tone, and thankful for what is given
- A Gentleman reads and reflects
- A Gentleman can drive a stick-shift
- A Gentleman knows the difference between courage and stupidity
- A Gentleman is observant, and takes action without delay
- To a lady, a Gentleman will readily offer both his coat and his hand
The world needs more Gentlemen. More importantly, your neighborhood, your home, needs you, needs me, to be a Gentleman.
