Appreciating your fellow man is more than just lip service. In a world filled with the mediocre, the bad and the angry, it's hard to decipher the difference sometimes. There's something missing. It's called good manners.

Jumping out of bed, running through the bathroom and into the kitchen, people race for a granola snack and coffee while bolting for the door. Children don't even bother to stop fighting over the last pop-tart as they leave.

While zig-zagging in and out of traffic, not bothering with those annoying blinkers, drivers shout some choice words to a "baby on board" mom in a sport utility vehicle.

As employees push their way through the elevator, they stare blankly at the floor on their way to their desks, passing by three coworkers without acknowledgment.

What's wrong with this picture? Are the days really gone when people actually say, "have a wonderful day," and mean it? Is it too much to expect someone to say excuse me when passing another person by or thank you when someone offers a compliment?

Whatever happened to the days when men actually opened doors for women instead of running them down trying to beat them through it? Pulling out chairs for the ladies and taking off hats inside buildings were not only signs of good manners, but also signs of respect. Yes respect. Take a lesson guys, good manners are not just for military and the elderly.

It's not just the men either, ladies. Women today think nothing of using profanity and bellowing in public. These traits, while unattractive in men, are particularly uncouth in women. There are many things that are extraordinary in this world, but none so magnificent than a true lady. And guess what, she has good manners.

Auntie and Grandma were not wasting time when they taught the children to say "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am." It may seem old fashioned to the newer generations, but there is a genuine worth in children who show elders respect. Seasoned teachers notice the difference and remember. That is the wonderful thing about good manners, they work at any age.

And what about the cell phones? People let them ring in movie theaters, disrupt classrooms by holding phone conversations during lectures and cause accidents by talking while driving.

In the grocery stores most people drive their carts like they drive their car; some move too fast, others kind of slow, and some of them just stop in the middle of the road. Some even have accidents. For the record, don't hit other people's carts. It's irritating. "Please" and "excuse me" never go out of style.

Also, if you have a large quantity of groceries at the checkout, let the person who only has two items go ahead of you. Honestly, it's not going to make that much of a difference if you leave three minutes later, and the sentiment is just plain nice.

A very smart lady gave me a piece of advice once. She said, "The only thing you ever owe anybody is a good morning."

By being considerate, polite, courteous and respectful, good manners can help raise the standard of being mediocre to a higher level.

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