Axle grease–a few years ago, it came in a can. It was black, tarry stuff that you smeared on the axle of a wheel to keep everything greased and going along as it should. Neglect it, and the wheel would start to squeak and, at last, fall off.
Manners, courtesy, behavior–they’re sort of like axle grease, only a lot more substantive and with deeper meaning. The way we conduct ourselves, the way we treat others, valuing all life, acting in a way that’s appropriate, decent, and right are what keep the wheels of civility going.
An old horse-drawn wagon might go for quite a while with a squeak now and then, as long as it wasn’t carrying a load. But, when the axle was burdened down with heavy stuff, that wheel that needed attention didn’t only squeak, it fell off. “One wheel off of the little, red wagon, one wheel off and the axle draggin'” in the words of an old song.
Moral courage, common courtesies, thinking of others first, can smooth out many a weary trip. The words we use and the way we say them can certainly cut down on friction. Simple, plain decency may not make that heavy load go away but they sure make it a lot easier to carry.
So true, so true
Thank you, Helen.