Many, many, many years ago, my great-grandmother gave my mom and my aunt a little framed picture.  If you squint, you can just read that she wrote "Happy Easter from Grandma" on the back.  The pencil is very faded.  As a Happy Easter gift, I'm willing to bet that my mom and aunt would have rather had chocolate, because the picture was an illustrated poem called "Five Little Words" that goes like this:

"There are five little words I would have you know.  They are PARDON ME, THANK YOU and PLEASE.  Oh!  Use them quite often wherever you go, there are few words as useful as these.  These five little words have a power, that fortune or fame cannot give.  So commit them to memory this very hour, and use them as long as you live."

See what I mean? (Come on, confess.  You'd probably rather have chocolate, too.  I know I would).

I can remember seeing it at my grandmother's house.  Eventually it ended up on a book shelf in the guest room at my parents' house.  About a year ago, my mom was cleaning out and asked me if I wanted it. For nostalgic reasons, I took it.  Right now, it's on a shelf in my powder room, offering helpful manners reminders when you're drying your hands.

Then, a couple of days ago as I was straightening up in there, I took another look at it.  The children's illustrations are charming: pastel colors and line drawings show little girls in pink and blue dresses and Mary Janes; boys in little yellow shorts and blue shirts and ties.  Flower garlands circle the little scenes and words.  The look and language clearly harkens back to a far simpler time.

My first thought was that they were lucky back then -- that today we and our children need a few more words to make our way in public and to get along with others.  Words like "I'm sorry."  Or "You're welcome."  Or  "I'll share."  Or "I'll help."  Or "I'll be fair."  Or "I'll be respectful."  Or "I'll be nice."  Because today our behavior and what's acceptable have so many layers to consider.  But then I thought a little more about it, and I realized that all those other words I thought we needed just over-complicate things -- that maybe in their essence, they all boil down to the "Five Little Words:"

Pardon me, Thank you, and Please.

"Use them quite often wherever you go, there are few words as useful as these. These five little words have a power, that fortune or fame cannot give.  So commit them to memory this very hour, and use them as long as you live."

As dated as the language is, it offers a sweet, simple reminder of how to treat people that is still as true today as it was back on that Easter many, many years ago...long after the chocolate is gone.

Thank you for the gift, Great-Grandma!