AMENITIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18534, 19 October 1923, Page 12

AMENITIES.

I So much of our intercourse with ; our fellow ; men— women—is conducted through the medium :of speech, says : a writer, v that it deserves ,' : some thoughtful attention occasionally. '. .i, ,We; ! often read exhortations: regarding a friendly,hand grip or a fearless glance! but to these we need to ally a Durnosefu) way of t'.iainj 'he ph^. ■■#. -j.4 .peak. If you meet anyone, ,w!.','j :,ays: ;; " I ,am glad to mcvit you!" a^,'iti!: ihvf . really meant it.,,an-', had a live vsj*reat in you don't yo: uei Appier tat it: Wi-r Col enrich you.- personality and make someone else happy by saying simply what you mean and-saying it as if ..you meant ltf ?','■ -.'-.' \'-J /.■ ■■ .V '. ,*: ; .. ■:'/■'

.■There are" so many v ways of saying tilings! You make an inquiry carelessly conventionally; and the mater enr T s there [Precisely the same words, spoken with kindly thought, are earned hack to a sick room : as messengers of friendliness and hope. •-,:,' ''.Come and see me some time," occurs often in a chance meeting with acquaintance or friend. Whether the injunction is ever obeyed often depends largely on the impression the tone conveys. Some people say this, hoping the invitation will never be accepted, (and don't even realise their mean-spiritedness!); others imply insufficient interest for; a fixed date, while the really genuine speaker imposes no restriction on her visitor, .but .expresses a ready welcome at any timeIt ,is so easy to say what is conventional and expected of us, without _ any warmth springing from the heart to give life to the words. The ideal thing, of course, would be to : never say anything that we do not mean and always mean what wa do say. ■ '■' ; :, "'• . :. Perhaps we all fall short sometimes, even unconsciously, but we ought to reI member the impression we create as the i result of our everyday speech.