What impresses you the most about people?

Think about it while I tell you some things that impress me the most.

When I do a favor for someone and they acknowledge it with an email, a letter or a phone call of thanks, or an offer to take me and my wife to dinner.

When a complete stranger, or even a person I know, holds open a door when they see me coming. 

When someone I know well remembers my birthday or anniversary.

When someone, who knows that I abhor the use of stereotypes, slips — and begins to use a stereotype descriptor — and then catches him or herself, saying “Sorry . . .”

When someone with whom I am engaged in conversation, refrains from using up the entire time together speaking — i.e., when that person brings me into the conversation with a question such as “What do you think about . . .?”

When someone comes to my house, whether he or she is the only guest or one of several guests that day, and brings a “small” gift — for example, a jar of peanuts.

When someone volunteers to help me with anything — including moving a chair, telling me that there's a piece of food on my chin, and bringing me some grease for my squeaking garage door.

When someone says “Please” and/or “Thank you” — even though these words may be relics from our grammar school days.   

When someone, like you, reads these short “essays” of mine and thinks about them, perhaps even thinking about writing to me at:   robertebsen@hotmail.com