More, Please...

Jenna and I stood outside the smoothie stand on our layover at the airport. I had just given her a sip of my strawberry banana delight, and she wanted more.

She is 17 months old. When she looks at me with those big brown eyes, I want to give her everything. Especially when she innocently asks, "More, Mommy?"

I took this as a teachable moment.

"More please," I said, then gave her a sip.

"More, Mommy?" she asked, wanted another taste.

"More PLEASE," I said, giving her another sip.

"More peas," she responded. She had learned to say "Please."

Of course, this got me thinking about why we say "Please." What does it really mean? I suspect the etymology goes back to a time when people would ask for something "if it pleases you."

For example, "I would like a sip of your smoothie, if it pleases you...."
"I would like you to take out the trash, if it pleases you..."
"I would like fries with that, if it pleases you..."

What if we only took actions that pleased us? What if we took action, not out of obligation or guilt, but with a sense of joy, knowing that it is PLEASING to give and to share and to contribute?

Try it out today... please?