I got off the bus one day, said a quick thank you to the driver, and carried on like I always do. It’s just a habit, a small nod of appreciation as I step off.
Why do you say thank you? My friend who came to visit from home asked. We paid for the ticket. Is he not supposed to be the one thanking us?
I get questions like this often anytime I get off the bus while on the phone with someone from home, and they hear me say thank you.
I usually explain.
Thank you to a bus driver is not about whether I paid or not. It’s about the person behind the role. Buying a ticket doesn’t replace basic human appreciation. It covers the service, but it doesn’t acknowledge the person.
It’s not about money. It’s courtesy.
I wasn’t doing that earlier. I saw people do it, liked it and I learnt it.
Courtesy works in exactly these small, almost invisible ways. It doesn’t require effort or cost anything, yet it has the power to change the tone of an interaction.
It is in the small everyday actions that show respect and awareness of others. The kind that say, I see you, even if only for a moment.
The idea that payment replaces gratitude comes from viewing service purely as a transaction. But most interactions in life are not just economic, they are social. They involve effort, time, and often patience. Courtesy acknowledges that human element.
Here this Young One, one of the easiest and most powerful habits to build is courtesy.
Say thank you when someone helps you, even if they are being paid to do it. Say it to teachers, friends, anyone who makes your day a little easier. Not because you’re told to, but because it helps you remember that every role is filled by a real person.
Even when others don’t do it, it isn’t about following the crowd, it’s about the kind of person you choose to be. It says more about your character than anything else.
These small habits shape who you become. A simple thank you may seem small, but over time, it builds kindness, awareness, and respect.
You may have paid, but that’s not the whole story. A thank you costs nothing, yet turns a transaction into a human moment, and that means a lot.
✍️ Amara Ann Unachukwu
