Lesson #2: Magic Words

Dear Baby:
Todays lesson is about pleasantries. Specifically, the words "please" and "thank you". Assholes tend not to say either. This is one of the many reasons why they are assholes. These words are also known as "magic words". I don't think they should be referred to as magic. Mainly because people should be polite to each other without any magic being involved.

The word "please" is added to a command. It softens it. It makes you immediately grateful to someone for the task that you are asking them to do. That's nice. I want you to be nice. So, please say please.

The word "Thank you" extends that gratitude by showing that you appreciate the other persons time and energy. Say "thank you" many times a day. Say it to the guy that bags your groceries. The valet that brings your car back to you. The waitress that refills your water. Say it to me when I make you dinner and say it to your father when he picks you up from soccer, or ballet or skeet shooting practice (whatever you're in to, babe, we'll support you!). If you say it often then that is one step closer to you being the most awesome person ever. Which, is the goal here, c'mon on! So, please say "thank you". Thank you.

Since your birth, your father and I have decided to make it a point to say "please" and "thank you" to each other and, in turn, to the world. And it is unbelievable how much mileage those words can get. It immediately makes every task more pleasurable to preform. And I feel more appreciated, as does he, in doing tasks in the home and in the world.

Yesterday, I thanked the guy who was wiping down the elliptical machine at the gym (not sure if those will exist by the time you read this, Izzy, but elliptical machine's is how your mommy can eat lots of sweets and still fit into her size 4 jeans). When I thanked him he looked up at me with his beaten brown eyes and I thought he was about to cry. Then he said, "No one has ever thanked me for this before. Thank you for thanking me." Man. I almost started to cry. He made me feel good for making him feel appreciated. It really makes you think that the world just might be a better place if we just took the time to be more pleasant.

And maybe, just maybe, that is magic.