I received a sweet thank you note recently from a dear friend, and on the back of her envelope she wrote, “P.S. Please excuse the Christmas stamp and do not write a blog post on me!” Of course, you know what this means? I must write a blog post on this! 😊
Etiquette verses manners. What is the difference? Manners are nothing more than the condition of your heart. If you are kind, it will show in how you treat others. If you are angry, this, too, will come out. Etiquette comprises the rules we apply to help us navigate our good manners. Just like driving on the road, we have signs that tell us when to slow down or stop so we do not crash into other cars. This is the best way to think about etiquette. Etiquette forms the rules to help us safely navigate our world, so we do not crash into the people around us.
Rules in society, in our place of work, and in our families could also be called boundaries. Healthy relationships have healthy boundaries, and those boundaries keep us protected.
But let’s face it, life is real, and we need to work with what we are given. It is always better to show good manners than follow a bunch of rules, especially if those rules keep us from displaying good manners. So, take this as my way of giving you permission to be authentic! And being authentic, means being practical.
Throw away a bunch of Christmas stamps because the holidays have passed? Never! That is a waste of money. I laughed at my friend’s card, because she is one of the most mannerly people I know. Highly educated, beautiful, and accomplished. I often turn to HER for advice! This precious woman did exactly the right thing. She did not let etiquette keep her from displaying good manners.
After 2 ½ years of planning and re-planning our son and daughter-in-law’s wedding four times due to COVID, you can only imagine how many bridal stamps I have. You can bet your bottom dollar I will use every one of them until they run out. So, watch out, friends, if you receive correspondence from me during the next year take notice of my postage covered in hearts and flowers, and just know this means I love you very much!
Together with you,
Lisa Lou