Mind Your Manners

…or they will most certainly mind you.  If you’re not sure which set of manners pertain to the company in which you find yourself, ask someone who’s been there before.  Who are these people?  And, how should I conduct myself in their company?

This seems silly and unnecessary to lots of us who have lived lives of privilege.  But, it’s not.  We don’t always know our audience, and it would serve us well, to find out something about them, before encountering them in social, business, or legal engagements.  Blah, blah, blah, right?

If you don’t believe me/us, here at mindmix, just try this:  Act like you in a courtroom full of people who know nothing about you.  Say the things you would say at home, say the things you would say to a close friend…aloud, in front of a judge in your jurisdiction.  Then, watch how fast you are dismissed for the fact that your dog ate your homework. 

It has been a long time since I’ve spent any time in a courtroom, but I rehearse it often.  Why?  Because I’m contemplating taking up a legal cause that could put me there.  As I talk with family about the possible outcomes, and the revelations that are unlikely to actually reveal themselves, I think about all the contortions we would have to learn, or relearn, in order to create a fruitful outcome.  On so many fronts, the outcome is unlikely to serve the injustice we seek to reverse.  So, I rehearse. 

Since I’m adaptable at the level of the finest stage actor, I feel certain I could survive the ordeal.  I’m just not sure it would serve the greater good of our cause.  I’m looking elsewhere, for the moment.  I’m looking inward.  I’m looking to what we hope to gain, whether we exhibit our manners or not.  And, I’m finding we have options.  I like having options.  It allows us to control our next steps, manners or not.

Thanks, Mama and Daddy, for teaching me manners, and knowing my audience.  You were great teachers, and when circumstances permitted, you conducted yourselves with integrity and…manners.