Woe! It’s Wednesday: Important or Urgent

I too often give into the tyranny of the urgent.

A dear and longtime friend has been on my heart and mind for the last week. I know that means I need to call or write to her.

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I keep putting it off. Why? Because her anniversary was back in November and I didn’t call or write or text or send a card.

What’s really embarrassing is that I remembered it was her anniversary on the day. I could have done any of the above, even sent a quick text. But I didn’t. And I can’t remember even one other thing I did that day that was so important I couldn’t take the time to send a lousy text message.

I’m cleaning up my e-mail inbox today and I found our last “catching up” note. It’s from last June.

So enough blogging today from me. I have a long email to write and a phone call to make.

Technorati Tags: tyranny of the urgent

Woe! It’s Wednesday: How Rude!

I’ve blogged before about how contemporary society has coarsened and become careless about simple courtesy, such as RSVPing, returning messages, and cussing in public.

I’ve been noticing another example of how we’re all getting ruder and louder and more selfish.

I had the opportunity recently to see Diana Krall in concert. She’s been one of our favorite musicians for quite a while. A few years ago when we were in the midst of some severe trials, her music buoyed us and helped us keep on. We’d get more bad news, look at each other, and say, “Time to go buy another CD.” Ms. Krall doesn’t tour often and gets to the west coast even less often, so we were thrilled that she was coming to a small historic theater an hour from home. We bought our tickets months ahead, as soon as we knew about it. We waited and anticipated a fun evening.

When we arrived, the ticket takers said, “If you have to leave the theatre, please wait until the end of the song to return to your seat.” They made eye contact while saying this. The lobby was lined with signs that said the same thing. The restroom mirrors had the signs. There was no way you could enter that concert without knowing the expected behavior.

Sure enough, during the first song, a couple with drinks in hand, scooched along the front row to take their seats. Not thirty seconds later they stood and scooched back to a different pair of seats.

Ms. Krall and her trio played a few more minutes, then paused to welcome the audience. She barely opened her mouth and people started yelling, “We love you, Diana!” and “Tell about Rio!” She sighed. Said, “I love you, too.” Every time she tried to talk, people yelled comments. “Where’s Elvis?” was next.

When did buying a concert ticket give us the right to badger and interrupt the performer? When did knowing and loving someone’s work become an illusion that we have a relationship? And when did it become okay to treat a theatre or club or concert hall like our living room? People in the front row at the Krall concert placed their drinks at the edge of the stage. Ms. Krall did say to the late arriving scoochers, “This isn’t a bar,” and soon the drinks were removed.

She responded with grace and courtesy to the boors who called themselves fans. Too bad they don’t give her the same honor and courtesy to perform for those of us who were there to listen to her music, not find out if Elvis had left the building.

Technorati Tags: Diana Krall,concert etiquette,rudeness,modern culture mores

Woe! It’s Wednesday–Doing the Right Thing

Someone recently commented to me that they knew the right thing to do in a situation, but they didn’t “feel” like it, so they didn’t do it.

I nodded.

Then later, (palm  slap to forehead), it occurred to me:

I didn’t know doing the right thing was optional.

Wow. The possibilities that opens up.

If I don’t feel like it, I don’t have to visit a sick or dying friend. No one likes hospitals or sick rooms, right, so it must be okay to skip making that final visit. They’ll be gone soon enough, after all.

If I don’t feel like it, I don’t have to take a meal to a sick friend or someone who just had a baby. After all, I’m busy, too, and it’s just too inconvenient to shop, cook, and deliver food.

If I don’t feel like it, I don’t have to send a thank you card in the mail for the person who gave me a gift. After all, I thanked them when they I received it and they know how busy life gets.

If I don’t feel like it, I don’t have to respond and let a hostess know if I’m coming to her party. After all, I have to wait and see what other offers I get for that night. Something more fun may come along.

If I don’t feel like it, I don’t have to return to the store to pay for the item the checker missed in the bottom of my basket. After all, it’s the employees fault and the store is insured against a certain level of loss.

If I don’t feel like it, I don’t have to discipline a misbehaving child. After all, that’s the school’s job, right? To raise my kids?

If I don’t feel like it, I don’t have to apologize for gossiping, slandering, or presuming. After all, I didn’t really mean to do those things, and everyone knows, it only counts as something bad if you meant to do it.

Right?

Uhhhh … no.

I do the right thing because it’s the right thing.

• Whether I feel like it or not.
• Whether it’s convenient or not.
• Whether it’s easy or not.

The right thing is the right thing.

What do you think? I hope I’m not alone in this fight for doing the right thing.