A long time ago, I heard or read the following story:
A man and a woman, strangers to each other, approached a door. The man, reaching it first, opened the door and held it for the woman to enter. She took offense at his apparent paternalism, and said, “You don’t have to hold the door for me just because I’m a lady!”
The man tipped his hat to her, and replied, “I didn’t hold it for you because you are a lady. I did it because I am a gentleman.”
While I can’t recall the source of this story, its lesson has stayed with me over the years.
Why do I bring this up now? Because it’s Christmas time.
