I guess I am ready to admit that I am getting on in years. This seems to rear its head more times these days than it did in previous years. Now I am not speaking about the little aches and pains that might show up every now and then, or having a stiff back after doing extra yard work. What I am thinking of today is the lack of manners and respect for others that seems to be so prevalent in our society today.

Monday as I was getting on an elevator at our hotel in Cocoa Beach there were two ladies waiting to get on as well. While I had noticed the elevator was warm, it was not air conditioned, and we are in Florida. One of the ladies moaned and groaned up five floors, that did not bother me as bad as the language she used, especially two words, repeatedly. Now, I am not going to be a hypocrite and claim that I have never used those words before, and I will admit I should practice more not using bad language. However, she did not know me well enough to use those kind of words around me.

Going back a couple of years, Jacob, my youngest son and I were at an Auburn football game when a young man sitting behind us did not like the coach’s calls. He started using a word that seems to be very popular now, but really cuts to the core of many people, and I do not mean, “Have a good day.” Sitting next to us was a man and his two young boys, the man turned behind him and said very nicely “sir, would you mind watching your language I have two small boys sitting here hearing what you are saying.” Instead of apologizing, the man asked “who the h..l” is going to make me?” Fortunately, for all involved the young man’s father grabbed him by the arm and said, “I am.”

Going back to my original thought about getting older, I have more respect for my daddy than using that word in front of him.

While I know times have changed and we seem to be more and more unmoved by many things we see and hear these days, there is still room for manners, respect, and for lack of a better term “showing a little class.” We all have bad days, and sometimes we use words we should not. Let us all work to show respect and good manners to those around us. Even if I know you, I will try and do better as well.

Randy Garrison is the president and publisher of the Hartselle Enquirer.