The other day I was in a line of traffic, waiting for the light to turn green.  Finally it changed and the line slowly began to move. Then, the car in front of me stopped to allow a person on a side street to merge in front of her.

   Then we began to move again.  The car in front of me slipped through the intersection as the light turned red.  I was stuck waiting again.

   I’m sure the lady in front of me was patting herself on the back for being such a nice person…letting the car in front of her enter the line of traffic.    But — she was demonstrating false courtesy.  You see, she didn’t just give up her place in the line.  She gave up mine, too!  And my place is not for HER to give up!

   If you do something nice for somebody and it inconveniences you (and you only), that is true courtesy.  We should all be looking for opportunities to perform acts of true courtesy. But if you perform the same act, and inconvenience others in the process…it’s not courtesy at all.