I grew up with two elder sisters. If I wasn't courteous(礼貌)to them, they'd fix me. So courtesy wasn't really 1 in my childhood home.
My sisters 2 every chance to train me how to be a courteous3. They made me open doors for them or help them into their 4 at dinner.
Years later I went away to college. The first time I walked into the library, I noticed a woman walking behind me and I 5 the door open for her.
6 , she glared at me, asking loudly, “Do you think that because I'm a woman I'm not 7 enough to open a door for myself?” She slammed(摔)the door shut, leaving me astonished and 8. My face burned with 9. I decided 10 that there would be no more courtesy!
As I stood there, another lady 11 the door, her arms 12 with textbooks. Instinctively(本能地)I 13 to open the door for her. 14 I realized what I had done. I prepared myself for shouts. However, I received a warm smile and a look of 15 .
“Thanks!” she said brightly. “It's nice to see we still have a few gentlemen around here!”
Of course, if I were REALLY a gentleman, I would have 16 to help with her books. Despite this, I appreciated the good 17 I got from performing all act of simple courtesy. To do otherwise would be to 18 my lifetime of training.
Courtesy brings pleasant, refreshing light to our lives whether we are the giver, the 19 or just an interested observer. Courtesy doesn't 20 change our lives, but it can certainly transform the way we feel about life.
