Graciousness 

I wish I knew the art of graciousness better. I’m waiting in line for the loo behind W, and behind me comes a mum with a teenage son who seems to be a high functioning autistic boy. Behind her quickly comes a dad with a young boy of about five. I am nervous and want to say sorry to them, and also wonder if I should offer to let them go first, but thought if the loo were smelly I should just go in first and be quick about it, which I do in the end. But when I came out, the mum behind me had asked the dad to let the young boy go first, before her boy and then herself. It’s so nice when people are nice to one another. But it actually takes some wisdom and skill, and I feel so inadequate, so embarrassed, so ashamed. I so want to be part of that, but I can’t seem to get there.