We hear the word “no” a lot and we, as a society, have continued to explain and impress the meaning and power of the word “no” and why it needs to be respected and treated with the same amount of respect regardless of what you are saying no to. Once society understands that no means no, then what people are saying no to should not matter, just the fact that they said no should.
I’m going to take a step back and go to one of the simplest things we can say no to: Cutting in line.
Recently, I was at a store when the woman behind me asked myself and the woman in front of me if she could cut the line because she was running late and had to be at an airport, a good 30+ minutes away. I was on a strict schedule, too. I, as well as the people who waited for me at the store, would end up running late ourselves if I allowed the woman to cut so I said no. I wasn’t trying to be rude or obnoxious and was completely within my rights to say no. However, I received such a look from not just the woman who wanted to cut but also the woman ahead of me because I had said no. I felt the need to explain my response in great detail so I began rambling on hoping they would understand I wasn’t trying to be rude. Later that day I realized I didn’t owe them an explanation, a reason or anything besides a yes or no answer. That holds true to everything you or I want to say no to. No explanation is needed regardless of the question being asked or why it is being asked. In my example, we all have schedules to keep. Sometimes, you don’t have any place to really be and other times, you are on a strict deadline of sorts and planned out your day extensively. However, it is not my, or your, place to change our schedule to fix theirs.
Furthermore, if you find yourself in the opposite situation either asking someone if you could go ahead of them or if you are fine with someone cutting, but the person behind you isn’t, keep in mind that they may be on a strict schedule. They may not be able to be late to get to work or to pick up their kids or even to get home so their babysitter can get to their own family or another job or class.
With the semester in full swing complete with parties, Homecoming and other celebrations around the corner, remember that you have the right to say no to anyone about anything without having to explain why. Do you have to agree with me on this? No, and I respect that.