There is this prompt that does the rounds that tells you to blog using the alphabet as your guide. Each letter becomes a blog. I decided that as a challenge, this would be good to get me blogging every day.
R = respect
I am writing two letters a day currently to stay on track. So I have not had time to ponder on what comes next.
My grandmother was a wise old soul. She had lived through a war, depression and plenty of other smaller wars and changes in society. There was always a lot of wisdom thrown around as I grew up, and a few stuck. One of those was simply this: “You don’t have to like everyone. In fact, you won’t get on with everyone. However, you must respect everyone. Just because they are different or have a different view, does not mean they deserve less respect”
Now there are caveats to that, as I understood as I grew older and saw the state of the world. I have no respect for those who break the law without regard. I have no respect for those who harm those who are defenceless. I have no respect for those chronic liars who promise the world and keep breaking them (some politicians spring to mind!).
The main premise remains. In order to fit into this world, we need to respect each other. We are never all going to agree, and how boring it would be if we did. We do need to live together in some format, and respect is the way to start.
Let’s dial it down a level. We need to respect the people we share our home with. No matter what sort of agreement we have in place, it is important to ensure that we respect the others persons feelings, state of mind and opinion. Even if we think we are right!
So how do we show that? Well, that is really how the dynamic works between you and the others. The rub happens when others may not share the same ideas around how to show respect. And you have to respect that that is how they are built. It is not a slight, it is just who they are.
Respect is important, even, and probably especially, when things are not quite done your way.
Neuroses Undefined 