Why Is It So Hard To Be Happy

Why is it so hard to be happy But so easy to be sad? When I see how people treat each other Sometimes it makes me so mad It costs nothing to be civil To make life easier for one another Repaying years of love and care To your father and your mother Everywhere I go each day People are in such a hurry Trying to make ends meet Shortage of money causing them worry Whenever I am out and about I can always find the time To hold a door open for someone They look at me like I’ve committed a crime I was brought up with good manners And sometimes people don't understand Why when I’m introduced to someone I always shake their hand They look at me incredulous As if taken by surprise Then I shake them by the hand again While we’re saying our goodbyes When someone is taking up a seat With their shopping bag on the bus I sit in another seat Because I can’t be bothered to make a fuss I feel sorry for young mothers With their pushchairs and shopping in hand Their space taken up by a shopping trolley So they have to stand The pushchair blocks the aisle And the driver he plays war He shakes his head in disbelief Can’t people read what that space is for? If I am out shopping And I’m standing in a queue If someone has only two items I know just what to do I let them get served ahead of me Because I’m in no hurry The queue behind me tuts But I’m not one to worry Manners cost you nothing It isn’t hard to be polite But sadly many in this day and age Don’t know wrong from right The elderly feel insecure Even in their own home Many of them are housebound Afraid to go out alone Teenagers hanging around on street corners Always saying that they’re bored Making nuisances of themselves Often community service their reward What has happened to family values? When people looked out for one another Siblings always fighting for attention In the shadow of a sister or a brother I feel sorry for today’s generation Good manners not being taught I hope that by writing this poem I have given you food for thought