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We humbly and gratefully bequeath to all our descendants – born and to be born - the following for their kind consideration:
 
  1. Greet everyone (mentioning their name if you know it) clearly and warmly, and with a smile, and usually stand if you are sitting, especially for someone older.
  2. Find out and use people’s names in addressing them.
  3. Talk little about yourself.
  4. Never brag about yourself or your family, except where it’s necessary to make a match, or sell a skill, or a service.
  5. Take a real interest in others, and talk to them about themselves and their interests.
  6. Be humble, not by denying your ability or achievements, but by recognising that you are what you are because of God’s generosity to you.
  7. Don’t cheat.
  8. Do your best.
  9. Every person has written on their forehead the words: “Fragile Handle With Care”. Treat all people irrespective of race, or colour, or station in life, or level of wealth or poverty, or creed, with real reverence, and real respect, and courtesy, and kindness, and gentleness; don’t talk down to people; treat them as equals; be especially careful when dealing with those over whom you have power like domestic servants, or other employees, or waiters.
  10. Teach yourself to see the pain of others, and try to alleviate that pain.
  11. Try never to refuse to give to those who ask you to.
  12. Keep small change in your car, and in your pocket, so that you never go past a beggar without giving him something.
  13. Look for reasons to give genuine praise to others, and then give it generously.
  14. Say please whenever you ask someone to do something.
  15. Say thank you whenever anyone does anything for you, however small, or gives you praise, or recognition of any kind.
  16. Never keep people waiting; be punctual; pay accounts promptly; try, as best you reasonably can, to answer all emails, smses and whatsapps and other messages from people you know, promptly; keep your word – make your motto: “my word is my bond”; deliver on your undertakings promptly and completely.
  17. Admit, and apologise for your mistakes, or any wrong you may do, readily and humbly.
  18. Tell your spouse at least once a day that you love them.
  19. Be thankful to God for all He gives you.
Ethics cannot be weighed or measured. Ethics are real, but are not part of our physical reality. Ethics are part of the spiritual world. Ethics are compelling evidence of the spiritual world, and compelling evidence too of God’s existence.