Read it on Medium (recommended). “I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.” — Roger Ebert This post was inspired by behavior I witnessed a few days ago at the conference hotel I was staying at. You know those moments when you courteously wait for people to get on the elevator, only to have them cut ahead of you at the busy checkout counter. Reflecting on this incident, I realized the importance of small gestures in our daily interactions. It reminded me of the significance of expressing gratitude, thinking about the people around us and the need to avoid unnecessary rushes, prompting me to explore these topics further in this post.