Having manners isn’t embarrassing

“If we’re kind and polite, the world will be right. — Paddington

Having manners isn’t embarrassing it’s rare, and that’s what makes it powerful.

I grew up with parents who were not just strict, but deeply wise. My dad especially, believed that the smallest lessons carried the greatest weight. Every day, we had a two hour drive. One hour to the city and one hour back. Those drives became more than just routine, they became classrooms. For thirty minutes, he would tell us stories about his childhood how he struggled, how he learned, how he found his way through life during his college years.

But the other thirty minutes? Those were reserved for something he believed mattered even more which were manners, kindness, and the way we carry ourselves in the world.

He didn’t just mention them he emphasized them. Repeatedly, intentionally, like he was planting something he hoped would grow in us over time. And he always ended with a phrase in Arabic: “Keep it as an earring in your ear.” A simple sentence, but one that stayed with me. It meant to hold onto these values so closely that they become a part of you something you never take off, something that quietly shapes how you listen, speak, and act.

And it worked.

I grew up surrounded by respect. Even my older siblings, who were still so young themselves, carried a sense of responsibility in how they treated others. Respect wasn’t forced it was modeled, repeated, and lived.

At the same time, my siblings and I were raised on the internet. We were constantly exposed to people sharing their experiences and stories of racism, misogyny, and injustice. Instead of making us desensitized, it did the opposite. It taught us to listen. To understand. To step outside of our own perspectives and recognize the weight of someone else’s reality.

So kindness, for us, was never optional. It wasn’t something you turn on when it’s convenient. It became a standard, something constant, something expected. Not because the world is always kind back, but because that’s who we choose to be regardless of it.

Because at the end of the day, having manners isn’t about appearing “polite.” It’s about having depth. It’s about choosing empathy in a world that often normalizes indifference. It’s about understanding that how you treat people especially when you don’t have to be kind says everything about who you are.

And if anything, that’s something worth holding onto like an earring you never take off.

Kindness and manners are not signs of weakness or something to be ashamed of. They are quiet strengths. In a world that often rewards loudness, harshness, and indifference, choosing to be respectful and empathetic is a form of courage. The way you treat others, even in the smallest moments, becomes your legacy. So carry kindness with you, not because the world always deserves it, but because it reflects the person you’ve chosen to become.