Chivalry is not dead...yet.

"I'm not dead yet!"
Last night I went to visit a dear friend whom I rarely visit. I see him a lot, but I can count on one hand the number of times I have been to his house. Last night I was on my way home and I decided to stop by and pay my friend a long overdue visit. We chatted for a long time about school and life and talked with his roommates for awhile. I left around midnight and when I got up to leave, he also got up and grabbed his coat. "Hmm, I thought, he must be walking out with me because he has somewhere to go, too." We walked out and I just took off about 10 feet ahead of him. We chatted back and forth across the distance and then I realized...he was walking me home. I had come to visit him, imposed on him, I hadn't asked for an escort, and without a word, he braved the dark cold world and walked me home. He didn't have anywhere else to go at midnight - he was just walking me home. Just because.

I think that what shocked me about this more than anything was that it took me so long to pick up on what was going on. Courtesy has been so completely erased from my world that I don't even notice it has gone missing. I mean, sometimes boys still open the door for me,(and I am grateful when they do) but even that isn't constant and I can't help but think that they do it because girls yell at them when they don't. Has chivalry has become a burden? Are men worried that they will offend? Or that if they are kind we will fall hopelessly in love with them? Or are women thankless and not very courteous themselves? It's a mystery, and a rather tragic one at that. Honestly, my guess is just that the point has become moot. We are becoming more and more isolated in this world and courtesy and kindness are merely casualties of a changing world. Now (in the history of the world) more than ever, we need one other, but it is kind of uncool to really care. Don't get too involved, don't care too much, don't try too hard. Cause what do you get out of it? What are you going to get back? I don't know if people really think this way, but I think it is sad that we don't feel (for whatever reason) that we can truly take care of one another, especially because we really do need each other so desperately.

If nothing else, I am inspired to try harder to be kinder and more grateful. And to not forget to be mindful of those who care so much about me.

And PS Thank you friend! Chivalry is not dead...yet!