A Gentleman and Grace

Valentines Day is approaching us! No offense to past boyfriends, I'm sure they tried (or not), but I've never had a really positive Valentines Day. "Manner" or "grace" is not something that you can learn from a book. Unfortunately, it is something you just have to be or to develop.

A great scene of modern grace on '30 Rock' the other day:

Liz and Jack went out to dinner at a very chic restaurant. As they sat down at the table, Jack immediately moved the candle from the center of the setting to the side of the table. Liz looked at him kinda funny, not understanding why he did that but, not really caring either. Later, however, when Liz reached across the table to steal some of Jack's food (as she always does), she realized he moved the candle so her sleeve wouldn't catch fire when she reached across the table. Jack's manner and grace were so attuned to her as a friend, that he knew her moves before she did. That tiny gesture ended up becoming the pivotal moment of the episode and changed the course of their business relationship.

I'm telling you guys again, women notice the small stuff. They notice the gentleness/gentlemenliness more than if you use the right fork at dinner.

So women, in the spirit of grace, manner and Valentine's Day, take a moment and share with your men some of the little kindnesses that they have done for you that made your heart flutter. They might learn something and you might gain an even more graceful man, a gentleman.

Portions of this post are compliments of The Sartorialist