Today, spring sweeps in with flowered skirts. She is a capricious thing, apt to change her mind on the spur of the moment. Today, here in NW Arkansas, spring is trying on some warmer temperatures, but wait’ll tomorrow…she may show her stormy side.
Spring sometimes just doesn’t show us her good manners, so we have to keep an eye on her and not trust too much that the calendar says she’s here.
Manners–courtesies. I’ve been thinking of courtesy lately. Courtesies, the outward gestures of respect may change with time, but good manners are still good manners. Simply thinking of others before ourselves, to me, is courtesy.
Men may no longer take off their hats when being introduced to a woman, but I think that was quite nice. Women may no longer curtsy, but what a graceful gesture that was! Giving up a seat to an older or infirm person, standing when being introduced to a woman or an older person, letting someone go through a door ahead of you, to me these things aren’t shows of weakness nor is it degrading to accept them gracefully, but they are some of the small things that make life just a bit more pleasant.
Keeping a promise is a courteous and honorable thing. I’ll admit that I’m always disappointed when I assume a promise someone makes will be kept, but that happens. I always wonder why. If carrying through on a promise is not important, why isn’t it? Perhaps that person’s upbringing was lacking? I wonder.
Anyway, I started out by welcoming spring. She doesn’t promise anything, really, except that, sooner or later, warm weather will be here to stay. She does, however, offer hope and that’s profound. 
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