Howard Thurman strikes a chord today when he writes about “the fine art of gracious living.” Of it he writes: “It is the antidote to much of the crudeness and coarseness of modern life.” It is the way to combat “the supercilious flippancy used as the common coin of daily intercourse.”
That sent me to the dictionary as I had not seen/heard the word “supercilious” in so long I wanted to make sure I understood it. Webster defines it as “coolly and patronizingly haughty” whereas the online dictionary defines it as “behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others.” What a great word, though I am concerned that is using it, one becomes it.
That aside, pick either definition. Thurman, as usual, has it correct. “The fine art of gracious living” is a good prescription for the “crudeness and coarseness of modern life.”
And since I have the dictionary open — per Websters: “Gracious” – “marked by kindness and courtesy.”
Indeed, particularly today, a little of that goes a long way, always has, always will.
It occurs to me... 