RESPECT – Find Out What It Means To Me

Courtesy of billcorbett.blogspot.com

I have had a challenging past few days, to say the least, and the challenge has translated to feeling a lack of general respect. I was in the shower and thinking to myself that as our culture has become less courteous it seems like there has been a loss of general respect—respect for differences, respect for property, and respect for individuals. 

What is respect?

Miriam Webster online defines respect as:

re·spect noun \ri-ˈspekt\

: a feeling of admiring someone or something that is good, valuable, important, etc.

: a feeling or understanding that someone or something is important, serious, etc., and should be treated in an appropriate way. The second part of the second definition is what I think is missing today – “should be treated in an appropriate way.” Since Sunday I have experienced, in one way or another, a total disregard for being treated in an appropriate way.

Open the Door B*tches

I woke up Sunday morning, it was about 73 degrees in Southern California. I decided to go paddle boarding. It was amazing! The sky was blue, the bay was filled with people basking in the gorgeous sun. It was perfect. I was inspired, so I invited a few friends over to grill up some food. We were all laughing, discussing how great the weather was for March and the next thing we hear is “Open the door b*tches!” Surprised at the thought someone would be yelling something like that in a neighbor with young children was a little unsettling. I looked outside to find four young women yelling to the neighbors upstairs. So I said, “There is an intercom” to which they responded, “we know.” These young women didn't even seem cognizant that other people lived in the building, let alone the fact that young children live there. Look, curse words leaves my mouth more regularly than I know is appropriate, but I respect the fact that not all people feel the same. I don’t see it as an infringement on my freedom of speech, I see it as me respecting my neighbor’s point of view. I see it as being respectful.

What is Lost Can Be Found

Though I am discouraged by the disrespect I've seen and experienced in recent years, I am not swayed! I know that within each of us there is kindness and goodness. I know that within each of us there is an unwavering desire to care. Why do I believe this so strongly? Because I see it every day. I see it in the young men who hold the door open so a lady can walk through. I see it when a group of women get up from their seats in the waiting area so an elderly couple can sit down. I see it when a team of people stop their cars, get out and work together to corral the dog running aimlessly through the streets.

While respect, kindness and courtesy may be hidden at times, it lives deep in the heart of each and every one of us. We just have to remember it. We just have to remember how good it feels to do good things. What does respect mean to me? It means I treat you the way I hope to be treated – with just a little bit of courtesy and RESPECT.