Gracious

Someone yesterday mentioned a person who had gotten upset with another’s point of view. The person telling the story actually agreed with the point of view that had been expressed.
It got me thinking.  Their response to me was half right, but inadequate in the most important way.  They said it really did not matter and to them it was a “move on” thing but under their breath they expressed an uncharitable feeling.
That to me was the gist of the matter.  It caused me to look up the meaning of a word not often heard these days.  In fact, according to the Oxford something or other it is said four times in a million words.  That is the word “gracious”.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary said it could be defined as, “marked by kindness and courtesy.  The Cambridge dictionary described it as “pleasant, polite, calm, comfortable, or showing grace.”  I actually really like what AI added.  “Generous in spirit” — willing to forgive, overlook faults, or give someone the benefit of the doubt. “   Full of grace” — in a Christian sense, reflecting God’s character: mercy, compassion, and love.
I was really interested in looking into the meaning of the word as to me, as it relates to the human condition, it is a biggy.  So often it seems, and I have been guilty of it, I feign disinterest and all the while harbour an attitude of ill-will and ungraciousness to the other.
I reckon true attitudes emerge when restraint is cast off.  It is why I think so often when coming out from under anaesthetic, people often say or do things that are uncharacteristic.
It is one of the reasons I embrace Christianity like I do.  I have found that true graciousness can only come out of graciousness already present.  My bad attitude to me is not the end of the story.  It may take a while but for me graciousness is a letting go of my incapability and embracing the graciousness of another for whom graciousness comes naturally.
I may not agree with another, but it need not mean disassociation or they become my enemy.  All have a lot to say and things to teach - for my part graciousness means loving accepting and where necessary forgiving another.  Love feigned is not love.  Acceptance feigned is not acceptance and forgiving feigned is not forgiving.
Ungraciousness is for me often is a shallow water response to a deep water issue.