A thoughtful thought.

When did we move, as a society, from being a thoughtful one to a thoughtless one? Was it at the time that woman finally received some semblance of equality and as we migrated to the work place we simply didn't have the time to be as thoughtful? Was it with the advent of technology where everything is so instant gratification that we lost the ability to think ahead and show someone we care? Or was it simply that as a society we no longer value it, don't show appreciation of it and therefore we stopped doing it?

Thoughtlessness is everywhere. I see it on a daily, no, hourly basis in the behaviour of my teenaged stepsons. They struggle stringing two thoughts together long enough to allow them to function. They aren't thoughtful towards themselves, let alone anyone else.

I see it everywhere. Today was a smorgasboard of thoughtlessness. The 20 minute queue at Burger King (at this point incompetence rather than thoughtlessness) to find out that the debit machine wasn't working. A simple sign would have allowed those of us who have embraced a cashless society to make our choices. The 2 hour wait for Chinese delivery - at the time we called a simple apology for being extra busy on this rainy crappy night would have allowed us to make alternative arrangements to feed the 7 year old before she became extra whiny due to early onset starvation. The drivers on the highway who drive 20kms/hr below the speed limit. Not one but 6 in a 35 minute drive. Thoughtless - slow driving is equally as dangerous as speeding. The moronic 15 yr old who decides he needs a ride to see his mom - 6 days since he's had the opportunity to plan this with us.

People - thoughfulness doesn't take a lot of time. It takes only a small amount of effort but the rewards can be so bountiful

1. The restuarants would not have lost customers (and yes we eat out way too much)
2. Drivers wouldn't have been taking stupid risks in the pouring rain to try and avoid the aforementioned slow pokes
3. I wouldn't be feeling resentful of the total "me" "give me" mentality I see in the boys. It drives me batty.

And best of all - being thoughtful makes you feel good. It's a powerful feeling. Let's give it a try. If nothing else it'd keep people like me off their soap boxes!